The Las Vegas Raiders have parted ways with special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, less than 24 hours after their 10-7 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. The decision, confirmed by NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, followed a series of costly mistakes by the special teams unit and a reported sideline confrontation between McMahon and head coach Pete Carroll.
“The Raiders have fired Special Teams Coordinator Tom McMahon, per me and Tom Pelissero,” wrote Rapoport on X (formerly Twitter). “A significant move after last night’s loss. McMahon and coach Pete Carroll had words on the sidelines.”
The firing is the first major coaching change of the 2025 season for Las Vegas, as they have fallen to 2-7 after losing three straight games. McMahon, 56, had been with the franchise since 2022, surviving the tenures of Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce before being retained by Carroll earlier this year.
“Earlier today, we made the tough decision to relieve Tom McMahon of his duties as special teams coordinator. I have a great amount of respect for Tom and the work that he has done in this league, but we have decided to move in a different direction. Derius Swinton II will assume special teams coordinator duties on an interim basis, and we are excited to attack the second half of this season with outstanding intent and purpose. We are grateful for Tom and his work here with the Raiders and wish him nothing but the best moving forward,” Carroll said in a statement released by the team.
Special teams failures have been a recurring theme for the Raiders throughout this season. Against Denver, punter A.J. Cole’s kick was blocked, setting up the Broncos’ go-ahead score, while kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 48-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game. The mistakes added to an ongoing stretch of costly lapses by McMahon’s special teams unit dating back to Week 3.
The Raiders previously surrendered a 90-yard punt return touchdown in their Week 3, 41-24 blowout loss to the Washington Commanders, saw a potential game-winning field goal blocked in a 25-24 Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears, and suffered another blocked punt in a 40-6 Week 5 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts. In total, Las Vegas has allowed three blocked kicks in nine games, ranking among the league’s worst in special teams efficiency.
Individually, the flaws have been evident. Carlson has converted 12 of 16 field goals (75%), ranking 31st among NFL kickers, and missed a crucial extra point in Week 9. Cole’s punting average has dropped from 50.8 yards in 2024 to 47.6 this season, while his net average has fallen five yards, to 37.5. The difference from last season’s Pro Bowl performance has been hard to miss.
McMahon brought over three decades of coaching experience, having previously spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Colts, and Broncos, and developed multiple Pro Bowl specialists during his career.
Carroll’s first season back as an NFL head coach has been rocky, with the Raiders’ offense and special teams both underperforming despite high expectations. Las Vegas, once optimistic after adding Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, and rookie Brock Bowers, now faces a daunting schedule featuring the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Chiefs.
