The Raiders are giving quick hooks to both their 2024 power brokers. Two days after Antonio Pierce‘s ouster, Tom Telesco is gone. The Raiders announced the veteran GM’s firing Thursday.
Telesco was believed to be safe after Pierce’s firing, as teams almost never make GMs one-and-dones. That will happen to Telesco, whose Brock Bowers draft choice did not prove enough for the Raiders to justify a second season. As Las Vegas searches for a new head coach, the team will clear the decks to pair that to-be-determined leader with a front office boss.
The team’s HC search is directly tied to Telesco’s dismissal. A search for two leaders at the same time appealed to the Raiders more than potentially forcing a head coach on an incumbent GM, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes. This will be a tough blow for Telesco, who has now been fired twice since December 2023.
Given tremendous power as a minority owner, Tom Brady‘s fingerprints are involved here. The broadcaster/part-owner discussed the situation with Mark Davis, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, and those conversations pointed the team in the direction of a full-on new start. Telesco, 52, was also not involved in the decision to fire Pierce, Tafur adds. Considering Brady’s influence now, Telesco was set to have his power curbed had he been retained for a second year. But this firing likely closes the book on his GM career. Trent Baalke is the only second-chance GM remaining, and his Jaguars standing is murky right now.
Last year, the Raiders brought in Telesco shortly after removing Pierce’s interim tag. Telesco had been the Chargers’ GM from 2013-23. While GMs infrequently receive second chances, Telesco’s experience brought Davis to sign off on an arranged marriage of sorts, with the owner wanting to pair his unseasoned HC with a veteran exec. Telesco-Pierce friction developed early, particularly about the quarterback position, last year. As the team attempts to solve that issue, neither will be part of it.
Pierce had supported a trade-up move to land a potential long-term QB option in the 2024 draft, while Telesco was in the camp of retaining assets and making the pick at No. 13. Having roster control, Telesco won out and Bowers delivered a historic season. Likely en route to a first-team All-Pro honor, Bowers broke Mike Ditka‘s longstanding record for receiving yardage by a rookie tight end. Bowers’ 1,194-yard year aside, the Raiders still have a glaring need at the most…