Patrick Graham is still technically the Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator; however, that can change—the Seattle Seahawks are calling again. It looks like “PG” might be a head coach sooner rather than later.
When the Raiders jettisoned former head coach Josh McDaniels, something clicked. That’s especially true for Graham’s boys. The team tightened the screws and started surrendering fewer and fewer points—more importantly, they began winning. You could certainly make the argument that the defense was essentially carrying the team in the second half of the season. Players such as Malcolm Koonce and Jack Jones flourished under Graham’s guidance—again, once McDaniels was out.
However, losing Graham so soon into Antonio Pierce’s start as the new Raiders head coach is not an optimal scenario. It does speak volumes, though, that the Seahawks think so highly of Graham’s exploits with such a small sample. Nevertheless, Graham is indeed getting a second interview for the head coaching vacancy left by Pete Carroll’s departure this offseason (h/t Tom Pelissero).
If you recall, Graham was very proud of the job that the Raiders defense did this past season. Some even argued it sounded like a “good-bye.”
“I’m not trying to get emotional, but I’ve had the most fun coaching this group of guys than any I have in my whole career. It’s been a real fun year. I’m proud to be a part of the Raiders.”
We should also note that Patrick Graham interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers—yes, we know. That would be a tremendous loss if Graham were to switch to an AFC West rival. For now, Raiders fans will need to wait to see if their team will lose a pivotal contribution to the late-season turnaround.
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