NFL: Raiders dismiss coach Jack Del Rio

The Oakland Raiders have broken up with Head Coach Jack Del Rio! Already on Sunday the rumors had been cooking in Oakland, after the bankruptcy against the Los Angeles Chargers at the end of the regular season, finally there was clarity.

Del Rio himself announced the news after the game against the Chargers: Team owner Mark Davis had informed him that he was fired.

Del Rio continued:”It was an honour for me to coach this team. The 54-year-old had taken over the Raiders in 2015 and brought Oakland back into the playoffs in the pre-season with twelve victories and four defeats. There the team then lost in the first round without their injured quarterback Derek Carr – all the greater were the expectations before this season.

It was not until February 2017 that Del Rio signed a new four-year contract, but the current season was disappointing in many respects. Above all, the clearly visible setbacks of the offense could not be overlooked, and there are alleged to have been internal disputes.

In particular, however, the rumours have been fuelled by Jon Gruden’s possible comeback over the past few days: The ex-raiders coach, who is traded year after year as a potential candidate for an NFL comeback, is actually supposed to be in advanced negotiations with Oakland and is already working on a possible coaching staff. Del Rio’s dismissal is seen as another clear indication of a return of Gruden, who has not worked as an NFL coach since 2008.