The Las Vegas Raiders search for a new head coach continues this week after announcing on Tuesday that Antonio Pierce would not be returning for his second year at the helm.
Since Mark Davis relieved Pierce of his duties as head coach, the team also fired first-year GM Tom Telesco and announced that the team would be starting with a completely clean slate.
Davis, with the help of minority owners Tom Brady and Richard Seymour, as well as a consulting firm, have interviewed a number of candidates already.
Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, the Detroit Lions' offensive and defensive coordinators, both interviewed virtually with the team on Friday afternoon, as did Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is set to interview in-person with the Raiders on Monday, and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is set to interview on Thursday.
Las Vegas has also requested an interview with Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator Todd Monken, but they are yet to hear back about it.
Davis and his hiring committee sent out another interview request on Monday morning:
The #Raiders have requested to speak with #Broncos DC Vance Joseph for their HC opening, sources say. He has multiple slips this cycle and more could be coming. Denver had a top 5 defense and led the NFL in sacks.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2025
Vance Joseph served as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2017 and 2018, where he had a record of 11 wins and 21 losses.
For the majority of his NFL career, he has served as a defensive coordinator, with stints on the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, and most recently, the Broncos.
Joseph has been an average to below-average coordinator for the majority of his career, but in 2024, he led the Broncos' defense to new heights, indicating that he has grown as a coach. His unit was seventh in total yards allowed and third in total scoring defense, which was the main reason that Denver was able to sneak into the playoffs.
He also played in 17 NFL games as a defensive back after having a solid career at the University of Colorado as a quarterback and running back. However, like Spagnuolo, Joseph was not a successful head coach in his first tenure, which matters. He has proven to be a good NFL coordinator, and could be a good head coach if given another chance.
But, because these two coaches come from within the division, these interviews feel more like a way to gain intel on the Raiders' opponents more than either of them having a legitimate shot at getting the job.
But perhaps there is something to be said for building up your team with a coach who has had success in the division while also hurting a rival franchise.