Las Vegas Raiders make surprise decision on general manager following playoff loss

The Las Vegas Raiders struggled with off-the-field issues this season and are now looking for a clean reset. After the Raiders’ loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday 23-16, the team knew that the hunt for a new head coach was underway. But as of Monday, not only is Las Vegas looking for a new head coach, they are also looking for a new GM.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport announced Monday afternoon, that the Raiders informed GM Mike Mayock that they would not be keeping him beyond this season.

Mayock was hired back in 2018 along with Jon Gruden, who resigned in October after an investigation into the Washington football team revealed troublesome emails sent by the former head coach. He is most notable for some of the misguided moves he has made in an attempt to help rebuild the franchise. Mayock traded with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Antonio Brown, sending a third and fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft for a disgruntled Steelers receiver.

NFL doubles down on bad call in Raiders wild-card loss

In the opening wild-card matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Las Vegas Raiders, the officials made a critical error which resulted in a touchdown for Cincinnati.

And like a person new to the poker tables in Vegas, the officiating crew doubled down on the bad call.

After the game, the crew at ESPN revealed the response of the NFL’s senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson on the blown call.

When asked to explain the conversations had following the touchdown pass, Anderson revealed what exactly was determined to let the call stand.

“We confirmed with the referee and the crew that on that play – they got together and talked – they determined that they had a whistle, but that the whistle for them on the field was blown after the receiver caught the ball,” he said.

Anderson was then asked to clarify that the officials didn’t believe the whistle was blown during the ball flight.

“That’s correct. they did not feel that the whistle was blown before the receiver caught the ball,” he responded.

Although the referees did not believe that their errant whistle came while the ball was still in flight, a brief review with audio would have suggested otherwise. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, they find themselves on the losing side of history again, after losing the game 23-16. Similar to the franchise 2002 loss to the New England Patriots after a Tom Brady fumble was overturned citing “the Tuck Rule.”