The Las Vegas Raiders went through a turbulent 2021 season, but they still managed to make the playoffs and battled the Cincinnati Bengals hard in the Wild Card Round before falling just short in the end. Indeed, Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia served as one of their most vital pieces as he played a huge role in keeping the whole squad on the right track.
There is no denying that he did a solid job in manning the sidelines but, unfortunately, his job for the 2022 season has yet to be secured thus far. Despite the uncertainty, there are still many reasons to believe that the first-year interim head coach is indeed the right man for the job in Las Vegas.
With that said, here are three arguments why the Raiders should run it back and keep Bisaccia at the helm moving forward.
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Why Las Vegas Raiders must keep Rich Bisaccia
3. Bisaccia kept the team together after encountering multiple off-field issues
The Raiders' 2021 campaign was first marred by the racist comments made by former head coach Jon Gruden back in 2011 that surfaced in early October. Gruden resigned from his post, which eventually elevated Rich Bisaccia from assistant head coach and special teams coordinator to interim head coach.
A month later, former receiver Henry Ruggs III caused a fatal car accident that took the life of an innocent victim. He was charged with four felonies and was eventually released by the team in November.
Just a few days after that, former cornerback Damon Arnette was seen brandishing a gun and making death threats on video while being on the team's injured reserve list. He was eventually cut from the team afterward.
Despite everything, Bisaccia was the glue that kept the team together and enabled them to perform well on the field amid all the noise around them. It was incredible to see how the Raiders buckled down and kept their focus, which eventually paid dividends as they managed to make the playoffs.
2. Bisaccia steered the team to its first playoff appearance since 2017
Aside from those issues, Las Vegas also had to deal with its roster getting depleted through the course of the season due to injuries. They lost starting guards Richie Incognito and Denzelle Good in the first few weeks, while tight end Darren Waller also missed a number of games.
Another Pro Bowl talent in running back Josh Jacobs wasn't the same dominant rusher that he was before, while his backup in Kenyan Drake suffered a season-ending knee injury back in Week 13.
Still, the Raiders managed to end the regular season with a four-game winning streak, including an overtime win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18. They booked a last-gasp playoff berth in the AFC with a 10-7 record, only to lose to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round in somewhat controversial fashion.
Despite not getting the elusive playoff win, simply making it back to the postseason was already a huge achievement for a Raiders team that went through a tumultuous journey in 2021. Hopefully, they can now gain more consistency as they aim to continue being playoff contenders in the years to come with Bisaccia leading the team.
1. Bisaccia gained the respect of the Raiders' locker room
Without a doubt, the job that Rich Bisaccia did in his first year of serving as an interim head coach was incredible. More than the on-field success, the 61-year-old has gained a more important victory, which is getting the respect and support of the guys in the locker room.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr spoke highly of the tactician and commended him for being a good leader to the team this season, per ABC News:
“I think we can all think that he's the right guy,” he said. “He's proven that people listen to him. Our team listens to him. And I love him so much, I'm thankful for him.”
Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby only had good words to say for Bisaccia by the end of their 2021 campaign as well:
“One of the best people I know. One of the most honest dudes I know. And I'll go to bat for him any day of the week. I love that dude to death. He knows that. I appreciate everything he's brought to the table. I hope we keep doing it.”
Surely enough, more Raiders players can also echo the same sentiments that Carr and Crosby had for the man who steered the ship in the second half of the season. More than leading a team to wins, Bisaccia successfully transformed a troubled squad and was able to create a more positive culture for the team by the end of their campaign.
These very reasons are already enough to prove why he deserves to be brought back and how the Raiders can be a better team with him serving as their official head coach for next season and beyond.
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