(Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
It is a new day for the Las Vegas Raiders, as Antonio Pierce has replaced Josh McDaniels as head coach and Aidan O’Connell has replaced veteran Jimmy Garoppolo at the starting quarterback spot.
Few are picking the Raiders to make the playoffs this coming season, but they’re hoping to surprise people this fall and winter.
O’Connell wore jersey No. 4 last season, the same number that Derek Carr, who had started the previous nine seasons at quarterback for the Raiders, wore, but he will be wearing No. 12 from now on, and he said he made the change out of respect for Carr, per Maxx Crosby’s podcast.
I always did find it weird & uncalled for how Josh McDaniels gave Aidan O’Connell the #4 his rookie season with the @Raiders . Glad he changed it out of respect for Derek Carr & got a new number to create his own path . Check out his full interview on @TheRushWithMaxx #NFL pic.twitter.com/4Ailb78j9z
— SniperJones (@RaiderSniper) May 22, 2024
During his time with the Raiders, Carr had been named to the Pro Bowl four times, and some fans of the team felt he was a near-elite player.
But he was able to get the team to the playoffs just once, and in that lone playoff appearance, the team promptly lost in the Wild Card round to the Cincinnati Bengals as he played poorly.
O’Connell was a fourth-round draft choice last year, and in 11 games, he threw for 2,218 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 62.1 percent of his pass attempts.
The Raiders will have a difficult time trying to make the playoffs this coming season, as a number of teams in the AFC have improved.
The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs aren’t going anywhere, while likely or possible playoff teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Tennessee Titans have all brought in reinforcements.
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