Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden raised a lot of hairs in the Bay Area when he traded star linebacker Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears before the start of the 2018 campaign, but it was not an easy decision for Gruden.
When asked about the trade of Mack, Gruden said that he cried for three days after making the deal, but that it all worked out better in the end because Oakland would not have been able to land Antonio Brown, Trent Brown, and Lamarcus Joyner this offseason without doing so, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
Not only that, but the Raiders landed two first-round draft picks in the deal for Mack, so it seems safe to say they have made out pretty well.
Still, Mack is a stud.
In his first season with the Bears, the 28-year-old racked up 47 tackles, 12.5 sacks, an interception, six forced fumbles, a couple of fumble recoveries, four passes defended, and a defensive touchdown en route to a Pro Bowl appearance and a First-Team All-Pro selection.
Mack, who played his collegiate football at Buffalo, was originally selected by the Raiders with the fifth overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.
He never missed a start during his four seasons in Oakland, making three Pro Bowls and earning a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections. His best season came in 2015, when he totaled 77 tackles, 15 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles.
The Raiders are coming off of a 2018 campaign in which they won just four games. Oakland has made the playoffs just once since last making it to the Super Bowl back in 2002.
Follow Us
Subscribe