Raiders clean house: GM gone after 1 season as Brady’s power grows

Tom Telesco, as recently as Wednesday, appeared safe as the Raiders’ general manager.

That changed Thursday. Owner Mark Davis, two days after firing coach Antonio Pierce, decided to wipe the slate clean for his franchise by firing Telesco after one season in charge and a 4-13 record.

Davis did so in a morning meeting with Telesco. The decision surprised multiple people in the building but is proof of new minority owner Tom Brady’s influence.

It also shows the Raiders want their next coach and general manager aligned from the outset, with Brady at the top of the decision-making chain.

That was not the case last year. Pierce had his interim tag removed Jan. 19, 2024. Telesco was hired four days later, so the two were never considered a package deal. Davis said at the NFL owners meetings in December that he would evaluate Pierce and Telesco separately after the season.

“They didn’t come in as a team, so they are individuals,” Davis said.

Having both jobs open could make the Raiders a more attractive spot for a coaching candidate who has a general manager in mind.

That means someone such as Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has multiple suitors and is expected to interview with the team Friday.

Davis did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Telesco, who had three years remaining on his contract, declined to comment.

The Brady factor

Telesco’s firing shows Brady’s power is growing in the organization.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback was approved as a limited partner in October, but his stake in the team is secondary to the weight his voice carries with Davis.

Brady has grown close with Davis through the years. Brady is also a minority owner of the WNBA’s Aces, whom Davis bought in 2021. It makes sense then that Davis could give Brady the latitude to rebuild the Raiders in the latter’s image.

Brady recently spoke with his former Patriots coach, Bill Belichick, about the Raiders’ coaching vacancy. Belichick was hired to coach North Carolina in December, so it seems unlikely he would jump back in the NFL so soon.

The conversations more likely focused on Brady picking the brain of one of the most respected minds in football history, according to league sources.

It appears that Brady, after gathering input, is now taking action.

Telesco’s legacy

Telesco, 52, came to the Raiders after working as the Chargers’ general manager from 2013 to 2023. His job was to rebuild a team that had made the playoffs twice since 2002.

Telesco deserves credit for his only draft with the Raiders. He picked tight end Brock Bowers in the first round, left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second and right tackle DJ Glaze in the third. All three became starters. Bowers set an NFL record for receptions by a first-year player with 112.

The rookie class, which included fourth-round pick Decamerion Richardson (cornerback) and waiver claims Jonah Laulu (defensive tackle) and Thomas Harper (safety), logged the second-most snaps in the NFL, trailing only the Rams.

Davis praised the work Telesco did with the roster in December.

“He knows talent pretty damn well,” Davis said. “He had a good draft for us.”

But Telesco didn’t solve the team’s quarterback issues. He took Bowers after six quarterbacks — USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix — were selected ahead of the Raiders’ first-round pick.

All but McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, started games as rookies. Daniels and Nix led their teams to the playoffs.

Telesco signed quarterback Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract in March, but the veteran was benched multiple times. Second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell and midseason pickup Desmond Ridder weren’t much better.

“We appreciate (Telesco’s) efforts in helping build a foundation for the future,” the Raiders said in a statement. “We wish Tom and his family all the best.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.