Josh McDaniels Still Has a Raiders Problem

An ex-Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowler reveals why players still hold a grudge against current New England Patriots OC Josh McDaniels and why the disrespect hasn’t been forgotten.

When the Las Vegas Raiders visit the New England Patriots on Sunday, the storyline will extend beyond the standings. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will face the team that fired him in October 2023. That was after just 21 months as head coach and a 9-16 record.

Owner Mark Davis cited on-field performance as the reason for the move. NFL insider Peter Schrager later suggested on “The NFL on FOX Podcast” that player dissatisfaction may have played a role as well.

Former Raiders guard Richie Incognito has not been shy about his view…

On the “Initial Contact” podcast, he said the game could be a motivating factor for the current roster, arguing that McDaniels alienated the locker room. He added that players rarely bring up McDaniels at all, which he called the ultimate sign of disrespect. Former safety Johnathan Abram went further in June, actually. He posted an Instagram message that accused McDaniels of ruining what the team had built.

Not everyone sees it the same way. Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter reported that players generally liked McDaniels personally, describing him as approachable away from the field. The friction, Carpenter said, came from a harsher, Bill Belichick-inspired persona on game days. A persona that did not connect with the locker room.

Here is the complication: most of the players who experienced that tenure are gone. The current Raiders operate under head coach Klint Kubiak, whose approach is widely viewed as a departure from McDaniels’ style. Las Vegas is 3-1, and quarterback Kirk Cousins has played well, earning a PFN QB Impact score of 81.2, fifth among quarterbacks.

That raises a fair question about how much of the animosity belongs to the roster and how much belongs to the fan base and alumni. Revenge narratives are easy to write and hard to measure. Motivation matters, but it rarely replaces execution.

Still, a team playing with confidence and a chip on its shoulder is not a bad combination, especially on the road.

Is the McDaniels storyline real fuel for this Raiders team? Or is it noise from a past era that the current players have already moved beyond?

Tell us where you land in the comments.