Dylan Laube gets out of doghouse, earns 2nd chance with Raiders
It took only four seconds for Raiders rookie running back Dylan Laube to cross the line that separates utter joy from sheer pain.
The five weeks that have elapsed since have been an enlightening period of self-discovery, hard work and making sure he is ready to seize a second chance with the coaching staff.
That opportunity could come Sunday when the Raiders (2-8) host the Broncos (6-5) at Allegiant Stadium. With Zamir White and Alexander Mattison most likely sidelined with leg injuries, Laube is expected to be a big part of the game plan, along with Ameer Abdullah and practice squad running back Sincere McCormick.
It will be the first time Laube has been active since fumbling away the football against the Steelers on Oct. 13. He described the critical mistake and uncomfortable aftermath as “my welcome to the league moment.”
The turnover occurred on Laube’s first and only NFL carry. One second, he was living out a dream he’s been chasing since he was a kid. The next, he was standing on the sideline, helplessly watching the Steelers turn his miscue into a touchdown and 12-7 lead.
The Raiders never recovered in a 32-13 loss. As for Laube, he got a one-way ticket to the bench and has been working for another chance since.
“These past couple of weeks, I’ve been working my ass off,” he said.
Painful lesson
Nothing needs to be explained to the 23-year-old who starred at New Hampshire.
“In this league, it’s about trust,” Laube said. “If they can’t trust you, you can’t play.”
He knows he betrayed that faith by fumbling against the Steelers. The accountability process included a brutally honest game-film review in which coach Antonio Pierce called him out in front of the entire team.
“It wasn’t in a bad way,” Laube said. “He just wanted to express to me (that) it was an important time for us. I had a mistake. It was a costly mistake. But you move on and look forward to another play.”
It was never Pierce’s intention to park Laube in football jail and throw away the key.
“I mean, we didn’t put him in the barnyard,” he said.
Pierce experienced similar ups and downs in his playing career, which began as an undrafted free agent. He remembers more lows than highs during the early stages. Nobody quit on him, though, and he eventually carved out a notable career.
Understanding the difference between holding Laube accountable and potentially losing him for good by turning his back on him, Pierce has made it a point to check in on Laube. Their periodic talks consisted of Pierce reminding Laube to keep his head up, continue to work hard and make sure he was ready when he got his next chance.
“That’s probably the best thing I can do in the position I’m in … talk to them and just look at their eyes and see if they’re down or they’re out of it,” Pierce said.
Good response
Pierce was impressed by how Laube bounced back and remained positive.
“He shows up every day; he’s in the building as early as most of our vets,” he said. “He’s prepared. He goes out to practice and practices hard.”
Laube has used his time as the scout team running back, reminding the Raiders why they invested a sixth-round pick on him. In some ways, it was reminiscent of the success he had early in training camp.
As a result, he has earned himself an opportunity to rebuild trust.
“I’ve been waiting for weeks now,” Laube said. “It’s going to be a fun one this week.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.