Raiders Dismiss Special Teams Coordinator Tom McMahon After Struggles

The Las Vegas Raiders have officially terminated the contract of special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, a decision announced by head coach Pete Carroll on Friday afternoon. This move comes in the wake of a disappointing performance by the special teams unit during the Raiders’ recent loss to the Denver Broncos on November 9, 2023.

In that game, a crucial moment occurred when AJ Cole‘s punt attempt was blocked by Broncos safety JL Skinner, leading to a field goal that gave Denver a lead. The Raiders had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. This miss marked a low point in Carlson’s performance, as he has converted only 12 of 16 attempts this season, reflecting a 75% success rate—the lowest he has recorded since 2019.

The Raiders’ struggles this season have been exacerbated by ongoing special teams issues. In a previous game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carlson missed an extra point that proved pivotal in a narrow 30-29 overtime defeat. Additionally, the team faced a 40-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts that included a blocked punt, resulting in an injury to Cole. In Week 4, Carlson’s attempt at a go-ahead field goal was also blocked in a loss to the Chicago Bears. The Raiders further suffered a setback against the Washington Commanders when they allowed a 90-yard punt return touchdown.

As the Raiders navigate a challenging 2-7 season, their special teams rank as the 28th in the league in both field goal percentage and average yards per punt, with a disappointing average of 44.3 yards.

Following McMahon’s departure, assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton II has been appointed as the interim special teams coordinator. McMahon had served in this role for four seasons with the Raiders. His tenure saw the team rank fifth in yards per kickoff return with an impressive average of 29.6 yards during the 2022 season. Cole notably recorded 17 punts of over 60 yards that year, the second most in the NFL and a franchise record for a single season. Carlson had a successful field goal rate of 84.2% in 2022, making 34 of 40 attempts.

Before joining the Raiders, McMahon held the position of special teams coordinator with several teams, including the Broncos from 2018 to 2021, the Indianapolis Colts from 2013 to 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012, and the St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011. His extensive experience in the role had raised expectations for the Raiders’ special teams performance, which have not materialized this season.

As the Raiders look to turn around their fortunes, the appointment of Swinton may provide a fresh perspective in an effort to improve their special teams play and salvage the remainder of the season.