Calico Jack: Why the Oakland Raiders Should Extend Del Rio

The Raiders Resurgence

The three coaches mentioned above as favorites for the award (Bill Bellichick is whispered in some circles too mind you, and is an exception to this rule) have all been instrumental in turning around the fortunes of their franchises. Garrett recovered from a 4-12 season in 2015 to post the best record in the NFC. Likewise, Quinn guided the Falcons to the playoffs after rebounding from a January spent at home last year. In fact, the Falcons started 5-0 last season before tumbling.

That said, neither of these coaches have orchestrated a franchise revival to the likes of which Del Rio has done. The year before they were 4-12, Garrett’s men were 12-4. The Falcons rise is as much due to Matt Ryan’s career year as it is Quinn’s leadership or defensive acumen.

Conversely, Del Rio’s turnaround of the Raiders is one that was 14 years in the making. He took over a team that was synonymous with the NFL basement and started rebuilding by changing the culture. Simple aesthetics that Del Rio brought in, like a new weight room to replace the old, dilapidated one, accompanied by new practice fields and an in-house chef and catering team specifically purposed with nourishing the players, went a long way in establishing a culture change. It not only raised the standards for the players on the roster, but the changes to the facility Del Rio spearheaded made Oakland a much more desirable free agent destination.

Del Rio’s eye for details in regards to these additions to the facility demonstrate his profound understanding of what makes a team tick. Del Rio has been vocal about what he learned from his time in Jacksonville, and what he’d do differently. There is no doubt the man has a tremendous understanding of the perimeter factors that lead to a team’s success, especially in regards to keeping his players happy and well looked after whilst on site.