Breathe Raider Nation, it will be okay.
While the Lions' Ben Johnson was the candidate that many wanted to lead the team through this difficult stretch, it was just not in the cards for the Las Vegas Raiders.
What hurts the most is the fact that the fans were misled by various media members who told them that Johnson was the favorite for the job, when in reality, it appears that he never really entertained it.
He gave Tom Brady the time of day for a virtual interview, but Johnson never wanted another interview with Las Vegas, or Jacksonville for that matter. He committed to Chicago sight unseen; it was always going to be the Bears.
Now, Mark Davis and his hiring committee must wipe their slate clean and change their approach as they focus on a different set of candidates.
As a reminder, the Raiders have engaged in talks with the following candidates:
Aaron Glenn, Lions DC -- virtual interview
Steve Spagnuolo, Chiefs DC -- virtual interview
Pete Carroll, former Seahawks HC -- in-person interview
Robert Saleh, former Jets HC -- in-person interview
Ron Rivera, former Panthers/Commanders HC -- in-person interview
Vance Joseph, Broncos DC -- in-person interview
Todd Monken, Ravens OC -- interview request
With Johnson now off the list, and Aaron Glenn certain to take a job for the Jets or Saints, this leaves the Raiders with six real candidates in whom they have shown interest.
The most appealing candidate at this stage is Pete Carroll, who had a successful tenure as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. He went to two Super Bowls, winning one, and had 11 winning seasons in his last 12 years as their coach.
His coaching tree is impressive too, including the likes of Dan Quinn, Robert Saleh, Dave Canales, and Gus Bradley. For an aging coach, it is important to surround yourself with talented coordinators and assistants who can carry the torch when your career is over. Carroll has proven he can do just that, and at age 73, he won't coach forever.
Perhaps he could be easily paired with Tom Brady's favorite GM candidate, John Spytek, whose relationship with Brady goes back to their days on the football team at the University of Michigan.
Oh, and don't count out a reunion with free agent coach Robert Saleh, who could serve as Carroll's heir apparent if he got the job.
Todd Monken is another intriguing candidate whose work with Lamar Jackson as the Ravens' offensive coordinator cannot be ignored. He also coached Brock Bowers at the University of Georgia for multiple seasons as well.
The problem is that Monken has not responded to the Raiders' request to interview him, but perhaps now that Baltimore has been eliminated from the playoffs, that will change.
Ron Rivera, Steve Spagnuolo, and Vance Joseph all feel like underwhelming hires at this point as well, considering none of them had success at their previous head coaching stops. If the Raiders want to hire a retread coach, they would be better served employing someone like Carroll, who has had more success, especially in the last few years.
It's not a stretch to think that the team could throw out a few more interview requests to the likes of Liam Coen, Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady, or even Mike McCarthy.
Coen has had success this season serving as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, maximizing the offense when they were decimated with injuries. He also has a connection with Spytek, who is currently the Buccaneers' assistant GM, and Tom Brady's favorite candidate for the position.
Kingsbury has head coaching experience and worked well with Kyler Murray in his first few years. He has also been a huge asset to rookie Jayden Daniels this season, helping lead the Commanders to the NFC Championship.
Joe Brady has had another successful season as the Bills' offensive coordinator and has interviewed with other franchises for their head coaching vacancies. He also served as the passing game coordinator for the 2019 LSU Tigers, which was arguably the greatest college offense of all time.
McCarthy, like Carroll, is an established NFL coach with a Super Bowl win under his belt. While the Raiders have not expressed any interest in him, he would be a great coach to pair with a young quarterback and boasts a career-winning percentage of nearly 61%.
While the Raiders did not get their first choice in this coaching cycle, as they rarely, if ever, do, all hope is not lost.
Some young mastermind offensive coordinators do not work out, and sometimes experienced retread head coaches do.
Just look at the three teams in the AFC West who did make the playoffs. Where did their coaches come from?