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5 Biggest ‘what ifs’ in Las Vegas Raiders franchise history

By Nick Ellis

Bo Jackson #34, Full Back for the Los Angeles Raiders during the American Football Conference West game against the Kansas City Chiefs on 15 October 1989 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Raiders won the game 20 - 14. (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)
Bo Jackson #34, Full Back for the Los Angeles Raiders during the American Football Conference West game against the Kansas City Chiefs on 15 October 1989 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Raiders won the game 20 - 14. (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Raiders coach Jon Gruden with Tampa Bay (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Raiders coach Jon Gruden with Tampa Bay (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

What if the Raiders did not trade Jon Gruden

After the Raiders lost the Tuck Rule game to the New England Patriots in 2001, Al Davis and the Raiders would trade Jon Gruden away to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden had great success in his four years with the Raiders, never having a losing record, and making the playoffs in back-to-back years, reaching the AFC Championship in 2000.

Once the team moved on from Gruden, the team would reach the Super Bowl immediately after, and would face Jon Gruden’s Buccaneers in a game which the Raiders would lose badly. The Raiders were at a clear disadvantage facing off against their former coach, as he dominated his former offense and protege Rich Gannon the entire game.

If the Raiders would not have moved on from Jon Gruden after the 2001 season, the team very well could have won the Super Bowl in 2002, especially considering Gruden was the reason for Gannon’s development. After the 2002 season, the Raiders would not have another winning season until 2016.

The organization fell apart after the Gruden trade, and if they kept him around, they may have continued to win behind him and Gannon for years to come. He has returned, and is building the roster back up, so it will be interesting to see if he can once again make this franchise a perennial playoff contender again.

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