Raiders owner preaches ‘patience’ despite lack of success for over a decade

Raiders owner Mark Davis keeps insisting ‘good things come to those who wait’ since Las Vegas backtracked to 6-11 after HC Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler took over.

“I know that a lot of people can watch film and think that they know it all, but watching film doesn’t give you all the answers,” Davis recently told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur at the NFL annual owner’s meeting. “You need to watch the games and be there to get the full picture. So, yeah, you gotta have patience.”

The owner’s comments may not please Raiders fans because they’ve practiced plenty of patience for over a decade.

Since Davis assumed ownership in 2011, the team has only made the playoffs twice, won no playoff games, had eight losing seasons and had four different head coaches.

Last season was a missed opportunity because the Raiders made the playoffs in 2021 and their core returned. They also dealt for former Packers star WR Davante Adams. 

Nonetheless, the potential quickly fizzled. Las Vegas started the season 2-7, never had a .500 record and had nine one-possession losses.

Following the season, the McDaniels-Ziegler regime immediately reassembled the roster, releasing QB Derek Carr and replacing him with QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Additionally, it traded former Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller.

The moves may continue the cycle of instability for Las Vegas as the team is in transition and lacks a clear direction. 

Perhaps the Raiders’ brass can turn it around because they have the No. 7 overall pick within range to select a future star. Also, they still have Adams, who led the league in receiving TDs (14) in 2022.  

However, if the organization keeps slipping into the NFL cellar, it must make changes because patience has yet to reward it.