Raiders assistant coach retires ahead of training camp

By Adam Hill

Las Vegas Review-Journal

3 years ago

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) runs with the football as running back coach Kirby Wilson ... — Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) runs with the football as running back coach Kirby Wilson tries to strip the ball during their NFL football practice on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at Raiders headquarters in Henderson. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Heidi Fang

Running backs coach Kirby Wilson has informed the Raiders he is retiring less than two weeks before the team is set to open training camp.

Wilson had served in the role for the last two seasons and spent 23 seasons in the NFL with seven different franchises.

Running back Josh Jacobs appeared to be reacting to the news when he issued a one-word tweet late Friday morning.

“Damn,” wrote Jacobs, who has had Wilson as his position coach for both of his two seasons in the NFL.

Wilson, 59, was born and raised in Los Angeles and played collegiately at Illinois after transferring from Pasadena City College.

He played two seasons in the Canadian Football League before returning to PCC to begin his coaching career. Wilson was on two Super Bowl-winning coaching staffs, one with Pittsburgh and the other on Jon Gruden’s staff in Tampa Bay.

News of Wilson’s retirement was first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.