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sports Diaranson 13 october 2021

Davis’ ‘dream’ hire of Gruden turns into Raiders nightmare

(AP) - When Jon Gruden 1960s; the hiring of the sec- cash, then beat the Raiders in
returned to the Raiders ond coach of Mexican de- the Super Bowl his first sea-
back in 2018 he was greet- scent in Tom Flores; and the son in 2002.
ed with a pep rally news first Black coach in the mod-
conference, owner Mark ern NFL in Art Shell. But he never won another
Davis calling it a “dream playoff game in 10 seasons
come true” and the “big- That wasn’t what Davis as a coach and was unable to
gest day of his life.” signed up for after pining turn the Raiders into a con-
for Gruden ever since taking tender in his second stint.
There was much less pomp over the Raiders following
and circumstance surround- the death of his father, Hall Armed with a 10-year con-
ing the coach’s rapid depar- of Fame owner Al Davis, in tract and total control of
ture, with Davis sending out 2011. Mark Davis made sev- personnel, Gruden opted to
a simple statement: “I have eral trips to Tampa, Florida, overhaul the roster rather
accepted Jon Gruden’s resig- to meet with Gruden over than retool it with the Raid-
nation as Head Coach of the the years to get his opinions ers only a year removed from
Las Vegas Raiders.” on the Raiders and gauge his a 12-win season. the three first-round picks out of a playoff berth at 8-8.
interest in leaving the broad- expected to provide the foun-
While Gruden was done in cast booth to return to the He traded away the team’s dation for the franchise’s fu- Gruden played whack-a-
by emails he sent in the years sideline. best player, edge rusher Khalil ture. No. 4 overall pick Clelin mole this offseason, trading
before he rejoined the Raid- Mack, before the start of his Ferrell is relegated to backup away three veteran offensive
ers that the Wall Street Jour- He finally got the answer he first season for a package that duty this season, while No. linemen to create salary cap
nal and The New York Times wanted in 2017, leading Da- included two first-round 24 pick Josh Jacobs and room to help build up the de-
reported were filled with rac- vis to fire Jack Del Rio — draft picks. He then dealt No. 27 selection Johnathan fense under new coordinator
ist, homophobic and misogy- who led the Raiders to their star receiver Amari Cooper Abram have yet to make a big Gus Bradley.
nistic comments, his work on only playoff berth in the past for another first-round pick impact.
the field never quite lived up 18 seasons in 2016 and the midway through the season Those decisions looked
to what Davis hoped when only Raiders coach with a as the Raiders stumbled to a That led to a 7-9 season in promising during a 3-0 start,
he completed his years-long winning record since Gruden 4-12 record. 2019 as Gruden couldn’t de- but the poor offensive line
pursuit of the coach of his was traded to Tampa Bay fol- liver success to the fans in play led to back-to-back dou-
dreams. lowing the 2001 season after The following offseason ul- Oakland who never stopped ble-digit losses in Gruden’s
turning the Raiders into a timately defined Gruden’s adoring him even after he left final two games. Now come
The Raiders had a 22-31 re- contender. second tenure as he made the first time. questions whether interim
cord in three-plus seasons a failed push to contend in coach Rich Bisaccia can get
under Gruden, ranking 22nd But Gruden’s second tenure the Raiders’ final season in There were a few signs of the team back on track.
in winning percentage, last in never matched the first, when Oakland. He handed out big progress in the first season
points allowed and 24th in he was the hot-shot offensive free agent contracts to Trent in Las Vegas as quarterback If he’s successful, Gruden’s
scoring as his poor personnel guru with the “Chucky” per- Brown, Lamarcus Joyner Derek Carr took a big step in time with the Raiders won’t
moves ultimately sabotaged sona who took the Raiders and Tyrell Williams, and got his third year with Gruden be for naught. If not, it will
his coaching record. to the AFC title game in his little production out of the and the offense was one of be little different than the
third season and the play- three. His flashiest move the better ones in the league. nine others coaches who ran
The revelations of the emails offs again the following year, was a trade for temperamen- But Gruden’s decision to the team between Gruden’s
also brought shame to an when they lost in the “Tuck tal receiver Antonio Brown, hire Paul Guenther as defen- tenures when the Raiders
organization that prides it- Rule” game at New England. whose erratic behavior led to sive coordinator and the poor were typically near the bot-
self on a history of inclusion his release before even play- moves in free agency and the tom of the standings each
which includes refusing to Gruden was traded to Tampa ing a game. draft left the Raiders with year. Though this coaching
play an exhibition game in Bay after that season for a one of the worst defenses in stint ended in even uglier
the segregated South of the boatload of draft picks and Gruden also failed to hit on the NFL — and three games fashion.

Tom Brady plans to play despite heavily wrapped right hand

(AP) — Tom Brady says throwing hand is sore but the Buccaneers visit the Thursday night. out there and do what I need
his heavily wrapped he expects to play when Philadelphia Eagles on to do.”
Brady injured his right hand The defending Super Bowl
in the first half of Tampa champion Buccaneers (4-1)
Bay’s 45-17 win over Mi- are playing their third road
ami on Sunday. He finished game and fourth overall in 19
off his first career 400-yard, days. The 44-year-old Brady
five-TD performance with a leads the NFL with 1,767
pair of scoring passes in the yards passing and is second
fourth quarter. with 15 TDs.
“It’s a little sore but I ex- “If it was my left hand, I
pected it to be,” Brady said wouldn’t think two seconds
Tuesday. “We signed up for about it,” Brady said. “The
a contact sport. You get dif- fact that it’s your throw-
ferent bumps and bruises ing hand, there aren’t many
throughout the year and we’ll things that are that important
just deal with it the best we to a quarterback other than
can. This bump and bruise your right shoulder or your
happens to be on my hand. right elbow. Anytime you get
Just trying to be preventive banged on one of those, it
and precautious, be smart. could be an issue, but I think
It’s less than 48 hours since it there is no serious injury at
happened so it’s not like it’s all. It’s more discomfort, but
had five days, but again I feel I think it’ll be gone in about a
confident I’ll be able to go day or two.”