The Las Vegas Raiders have officially terminated the contract of special teams coordinator Tom McMahon following a disappointing performance from the unit in their recent game. The Raiders dropped a heart-breaking 10-7 decision at home to the Denver Broncos. This game showcased the same issues that have plagued their special teams all season long.
McMahon, who was in his fourth season with the Raiders, has filed an EEOC complaint. He took fire because of a few high-profile flops this year. One particularly glaring moment occurred during Week 3 when the special teams unit allowed a 90-yard punt return touchdown to Denver’s Jaylin Lane. To make matters worse, kicker Daniel Carlson missed a very makeable, game-winning 48-yard field goal attempt during that same game on MNF, making matters compound.
Time and again on special teams, the mistakes keep piling up. In Saturday’s game, AJ Cole’s 34th career punt was blocked, thanks to a nice move by Broncos safety JL Skinner. Ironically enough, this season the Raiders are currently 28th in the nation in field goal percentage. This has created scrutiny around how effective the new unit has been under McMahon’s leadership.
Prior to taking a position with the Raiders, McMahon had quite the career as an NFL special teams coordinator. He spent time with the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, and St. Louis Rams during his NFL tenure. His firsthand experience over those years gave him a unique perspective and depth of knowledge in the field. No matter how impressive his circumstance was, the results with the Raiders weren’t cutting it.
In the interim, as the organization looks ahead, Derius Swinton II has been named interim special teams coordinator. Swinton’s role takes on particular significance given the high hopes of the new mayor to restore a star-crossed unit that hasn’t produced reliable results.
Beyond his coaching talent, McMahon transformed the cultural landscape of sports journalism as a whole. He was a beat-writer covering the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun. His unique personal journey is only natural considering how embedded he is in the game of football, as well as the sports industry.
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