Henderson, Nevada The Los Vegas Raiders announced on Tuesday night that general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels had been sacked.

Owner Mark Davis released a statement saying, “After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave.” “I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

When pressed over the phone to elucidate on the reasons for the firings, Davis responded to ESPN with, “No comment at this time.”

Antonio Pierce, the Raiders’ linebacker coach, has been named the team’s acting head coach. Champ Kelly, the team’s current assistant general manager, will take over as temporary general manager. The organisation added in a statement that following the promotions, it will conduct “a comprehensive search” for a general manager and head coach “once the season is complete.”

Along with Mick Lombardi, the Raiders also sacked him as offensive coordinator, sources informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. According to sources who spoke with ESPN and verified an NFL Network report, quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree would be elevated to offensive coordinator and take over offensive playcalling, which has been handled by McDaniels.

A day earlier, on “Monday Night Football,” the Raiders suffered a 26-14 loss to Detroit, their second straight loss in which their offence was unable to muster any momentum. The Raiders fell to 3-5 after the loss.

When interim coach Rich Bisaccia and then-GM Mike Mayock took over after coach Jon Gruden resigned in mid-season in 2021, the team finished 10-7 and made an unexpected run to the playoffs in 2021, marking the organization’s second postseason appearance since 2002. McDaniels and Ziegler were both hired in January 2022.

McDaniels and Ziegler, according to Davis at the time, were supposed to lead the team to the “next step” in its development. Rather, under the new regime, the Raiders went a combined 9-16 without making the playoffs.

In his last stint as head coach, which spanned from 2009 to 2010, McDaniels did not lead the Denver Broncos for two complete seasons either. Before the completion of his second season, he was dismissed by two teams, making him the first non-interim coach in Super Bowl history.

The offensive scheme and experience of McDaniels as an offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, with whom he shared six Super Bowl rings, captivated Davis.

Two weeks ago, Las Vegas lost 30-12 to Chicago and undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent, a former Division II quarterback, in his first career start.

The Raiders this season moved on from nine-year starter Derek Carr, who was benched and inactive for the final two weeks of 2022. In March, they signed the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo — McDaniels’ former pupil in New England — to a three-year, $72.75 million free-agent contract. Shortly after signing with Las Vegas, Garoppolo underwent left foot surgery that caused him to miss all of the Raiders’ offseason on-field program and be on a “pitch count” in training camp.

Garoppolo has missed 2½ games this season because of a concussion and back injury and leads the NFL in interceptions with nine. He is coming off one of the worst statistical games of his career in Detroit.

The Raiders are No. 32 in running yards per game (70), No. 30 in points per game (15.8), and No. 31 in overall offence in the NFL. All-Stars For the majority of the season, Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams have not been employed much as running back or receiver, respectively.

Adams hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since Week 3 and only managed one reception for 11 yards against Detroit. The NFL’s leading rusher, Brandon Jacobs, has not yet recorded a 100-yard running performance this year; in a blowout defeat to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, he was held to minus-2 yards.

Then there’s Hunter Renfrow, a former Pro Bowl slot receiver who only has 10 catches on 16 targets this season after catching 103 passes in 2021.

Since Davis took over for his father, Al Davis, in October 2011, there have been eight interim or permanent head coaches for the Raiders. Pierce will be the eighth. Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Gruden, Bisaccia, and McDaniels are the people Pierce follows.

Sunday’s game against the 2-6 New York Giants, who Pierce won a Super Bowl with as a player in 2007, will be Pierce’s NFL head coaching debut.

On Wednesday, questions about Bill Belichick’s willingness to allow McDaniels to rejoin the Patriots if he so desired were posed to him.