New Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie fired head coach Hue Jackson today, according to reports by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Raiders hired McKenzie January 5, 2012 and he scheduled his first meeting with Jackson today, Tuesday, January 10. The new GM apparently made up his mind before that meeting.
The Raiders elevated Jackson from offensive coordinator to head coach for the 2011 season. Jackson filled the leadership void upon the October 8, 2011, death of Al Davis, the team’s guiding light almost since its inception.
Davis liked what he saw in Jackson’s ability to boost Oakland’s offensive output in Coach Tom Cable’s last year. Like Davis, Jackson proved to be a gambler. He went all in on quarterback Carson Palmer by trading Oakland’s 2012 first-round Draft pick and conditional second round 2013 pick to Cincinnati after QB Jason Campbell was lost for the season.
Jackson’s bet did not pay off. The Raiders missed the playoffs, losing its last gasp effort at home in the last game against the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately for Jackson, there were no magic trades to replace Darren McFadden. The ace running back missed the last nine games of the season.
Oakland extended Palmer’s NFL contract to 2014. Campbell will be a free agent for the 2012 season. The Raiders are left with a fifth and a sixth round pick for the 2012 NFL Draft after a series of transaactions before and after Davis’ death.
The Raiders previously announced that its entire defensive coaching staff would be released on January 15. The team left the decision about the head coach and the offensive staff for the new GM.
Al Davis never used a general manager, but he might have approved of McKenzie’s hire. McKenzie is a former Raiders linebacker, thus is a member of Oakland family. But, McKenzie spent his entire front office career with the Green Bay Packers whose ideas about team building ran counter to Davis.
Oakland made its chops as a big play, downfield offense. John Madden, a Don Coryell disciple, was a successful early practitioner of the system and Davis never abandoned it. The Packers are firmly grounded in the West Coast offense and grow players who they drafted to fit the system. McKenzie is sure to draw upon those concepts as he rebuilds the Raiders.
Levi Damien has an in-depth profile of McKenzie on Thought’s From The Dark Side, Bloguin’s affiliate site that covers the Oakland Raiders.
McKenzie’s twin brother, Raleigh, was an NFL offensive guard from 1985 to 1994 most notably as a Hog for the Washington Redskins.
Updated: Hue Jackson spoke to Henry Wofford, beat reporter for the Comcast Sports Network, and went all-in on his disappointment as well:
@HenryWoffordCSN: Just talked to Hue Jackson, who said he was shocked his friend fired him. Reggie McKenzie told him, I want my own guys in here.
@HenryWoffordCSN: Hue Jackson said he’s lost for words. He said “He’s going to gut this place”.
@HenryWoffordCSN: Hue Jackson so angry he could barely get his words out during our conversation. He said he can’t believe his friend fired him.
