5 Times the Raiders Went Viral for All the Wrong Reasons
It's not easy being a Las Vegas Raiders fan. Raider Nation has been through the wringer in the last few years, and we want to showcase the worst of it. Here are five times the Raiders went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The quarterback controversies are typical for the Raiders, and 2023 continued that trend. This time it was Jimmy Garoppolo who was the butt of jokes after starting the season with a 3-5 record. He also got injured twice during this time, making things worse. Experts even speculated that he was uncomfortable in the pocket and afraid of taking a hit.
Jimmy Garroppolo was unceremoniously benched later that season in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell. What made this even worse is that the Raiders paid Garoppolo over $70 million before getting rid of him. In fact, there are so many bad decisions involving this man that it’s easy to see why he's hated. He cost the team money, hurt the offense with his limited passing abilities, and put the Raiders back several years. He was even worse than Derek Carr, another despised former Raiders quarterback.
Speaking of Derek Carr, that saga was drawn-out and disastrous.
Carr had a spotty history, but the Raiders still decided to sign him to a $121.5 million deal in 2017. Maybe it was just Josh McDaniels in Mark Davis' ear, but the plan was laughable. The fact that anyone thought more money would help Carr perform is just ridiculous. Carr eventually went on to the Saints, where he would have a lackluster season. Derek Carr was never the answer, so why did it take so much time and money to figure that out?
There’s no way around the fact that Rich Bissacia got a raw deal in 2022 after taking the Las Vegas Raiders to the playoffs. Everyone was certain that Bissacia could rally the team.
Bissacia finished with a record of 7-5 as head coach that year while navigating many scandals. They had to deal with several team misconduct problems, a drunk driving incident, and a defense that crumbled under the slightest pressure, but Bissacia still found a way to keep them going.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, Josh McDaniels and his Patriots Way got the role instead.
More: Ranking every Las Vegas sports team by attendance records
Remember when the Las Vegas Raiders lost to Jeff Saturday and the Colts? The Raiders struggled throughout the season that year, but that one loss remains the highlight. Jeff Saturday had never coached at the NFL level before his game against the Raiders. He was an ESPN analyst when hired.
Even worse, the Raiders looked like the better team on paper. But they still lost 25-20 to a guy who had never coached a professional football game.
The game showed just how bad of a coach Josh McDaniels was.
The year was 2021, and the Las Vegas Raiders had just come to Sin City for a fresh start. Despite an up-and-down 2020 season, things looked bright—so bright that their new fan base was chomping at the bit to see what this team could do. Instead, they witnessed one of the worst scandals in the organization's history.
Head coach Jon Gruden’s emails were released, revealing some unsavory conversations he had with other coaches. In these conversations published by the New York Times, Gruden makes derogatory, homophobic, racist, and sexist remarks to other officials.
Gruden tried to keep steering the ship forward but was forced into resignation after a 3-2 record and a media circus that followed him everywhere.
The Raiders then rallied behind their new head coach, Rich Bissacia, and finished the season 10-7. They also beat the Indianapolis Colts in the final week to earn a wildcard spot in the playoffs.
Next: 5 predictions for the future of Las Vegas sports
#5 When Jimmy Garoppolo was benched in the middle of the season
The quarterback controversies are typical for the Raiders, and 2023 continued that trend. This time it was Jimmy Garoppolo who was the butt of jokes after starting the season with a 3-5 record. He also got injured twice during this time, making things worse. Experts even speculated that he was uncomfortable in the pocket and afraid of taking a hit.
Jimmy Garroppolo was unceremoniously benched later that season in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell. What made this even worse is that the Raiders paid Garoppolo over $70 million before getting rid of him. In fact, there are so many bad decisions involving this man that it’s easy to see why he's hated. He cost the team money, hurt the offense with his limited passing abilities, and put the Raiders back several years. He was even worse than Derek Carr, another despised former Raiders quarterback.
#4 When Derek Carr signed a $125.5 million contract
Speaking of Derek Carr, that saga was drawn-out and disastrous.
Carr had a spotty history, but the Raiders still decided to sign him to a $121.5 million deal in 2017. Maybe it was just Josh McDaniels in Mark Davis' ear, but the plan was laughable. The fact that anyone thought more money would help Carr perform is just ridiculous. Carr eventually went on to the Saints, where he would have a lackluster season. Derek Carr was never the answer, so why did it take so much time and money to figure that out?
#3 When Rich Bissacia didn't become head coach after making the playoffs
There’s no way around the fact that Rich Bissacia got a raw deal in 2022 after taking the Las Vegas Raiders to the playoffs. Everyone was certain that Bissacia could rally the team.
Bissacia finished with a record of 7-5 as head coach that year while navigating many scandals. They had to deal with several team misconduct problems, a drunk driving incident, and a defense that crumbled under the slightest pressure, but Bissacia still found a way to keep them going.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, Josh McDaniels and his Patriots Way got the role instead.
More: Ranking every Las Vegas sports team by attendance records
#2 When they lost to Jeff Saturday and the Indianapolis Colts in 2022
Remember when the Las Vegas Raiders lost to Jeff Saturday and the Colts? The Raiders struggled throughout the season that year, but that one loss remains the highlight. Jeff Saturday had never coached at the NFL level before his game against the Raiders. He was an ESPN analyst when hired.
Even worse, the Raiders looked like the better team on paper. But they still lost 25-20 to a guy who had never coached a professional football game.
The game showed just how bad of a coach Josh McDaniels was.
#1 When Jon Gruden's scandalous emails were revealed
The year was 2021, and the Las Vegas Raiders had just come to Sin City for a fresh start. Despite an up-and-down 2020 season, things looked bright—so bright that their new fan base was chomping at the bit to see what this team could do. Instead, they witnessed one of the worst scandals in the organization's history.
Head coach Jon Gruden’s emails were released, revealing some unsavory conversations he had with other coaches. In these conversations published by the New York Times, Gruden makes derogatory, homophobic, racist, and sexist remarks to other officials.
Gruden tried to keep steering the ship forward but was forced into resignation after a 3-2 record and a media circus that followed him everywhere.
The Raiders then rallied behind their new head coach, Rich Bissacia, and finished the season 10-7. They also beat the Indianapolis Colts in the final week to earn a wildcard spot in the playoffs.
Next: 5 predictions for the future of Las Vegas sports