Calls Mount for Raiders to Cut Ties With Coach After 6-Game Stint

Getty Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy

When it comes to how things have gone for the Raiders through six weeks of the NFL season, there is no shortage of available fall-guy options. The fan base turned pretty quickly on coach Antonio Pierce. GM Tom Telesco was always an odd hire, and did little (Gardner Minshew) to address the need for help at quarterback while simultaneously damaging the running game by letting Josh Jacobs walk in free agency. Minshew himself could take the blame.

Or, as always, there is oddball owner Mark Davis, whose decision-making process has long been questionable, at best.

But for the short-term, at least, it seems the focus of Raiders fans’ anger has settled on the low-hanging fruit, a guy who would be pretty easy to fire—and who probably should not have been hired in the first place. That would be offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Raiders Fan Base Is Restless

Getsy came to the Raiders after two controversial years with the Bears, years in which he did little to help bring along quarterback and first-round pick Justin Fields. He forged a reputation as a conservative play-caller, and headed up offenses that finished 32^nd in passing yards in 2022 and 27^th in 2023.

After a year in which the Raiders’ offense started off with Josh McDaniels as coach and Jimmy Garoppolo as quarterback, the fan base wanted a dynamic coordinator to raise an offense that was 23^rd in points and 27^th in yardage. Instead, they got Getsy, and the offense now ranks 27^th in points and 26^th in yardage.

And they’re not happy about it. Amid the Raiders’ sad-sack showing on Sunday against the Steelers, a 32-13 loss in which Vegas failed to cross the 20-point threshold for the second straight week, frustration boiled over and “Fire Luke Getsy” was trending.

As user “Middy Garoppolo” wrote: “Antonio Pierce either has to fire Luke Getsy now or risk getting fired at seasons end.”

https://twitter.com/MiddyGaroppolo/status/1845641479643136334

“Raider Jon” added, “If #Raiders don’t fire Luke Getsy… not sure we win anything.”

Mario Tovar of, “The Raider Ramble,” wrote: “Raiders fans on Luke Getsy’s case are right; the play calling is uninspiring and predictable. PG’s defense has also largely been disappointing: they’re not ‘elite.’”

Luke Getsy Could Move off Sideline

While the Raiders are not going to make a move on firing Getsy, there was a bit of news from Raiders practice on Monday—possibly, at least. That’s because Pierce was asked whether he had considered moving Getsy off the sideline and having him call plays from the press box.

As a post from ESPN beat reporter Paul Guttierez read: “Asked if he thought about moving OC Luke Getsy up into the press box to call plays, #Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said he’s thought about it but, ‘Haven’t made a decision yet.’”

Hard to see just how much of a difference moving Getsy to the press box will make. The Raiders’ offense is short on personnel and equally short on imaginative play-calling. According to many, the problem is not that Getsy is on the sideline. It’s that he is on the payroll.