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Jack Del Rio fired as Raiders coach amid report of Jon Gruden pursuit

Del Rio said Davis told him "he loved me and appreciated all that I did to kind of get this program in the right direction, but he felt he needed a change.
Dec 31, 2017; Carson, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Del Rio is out as the Oakland Raiders coach. Will Jon Gruden be in?

Del Rio made the announcement himself after the Raiders' 30-10 loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Chargers. Earlier, ESPN reported the team was preparing to pursue Gruden, the broadcast analyst and highly sought-after former coach.

Del Rio received a four-year extension in February after he guided Oakland to a 12-4 record and playoff berth. But Oakland stumbled this season and lost its final four games.

He finished with a 25-23 record in three years.

Del Rio said Davis told him “he loved me and appreciated all that I did to kind of get this program in the right direction, but he felt he needed a change.

“I told him how much I appreciated the opportunity here. … I do believe that we have established a solid nucleus in that whoever comes here has a chance to take that nucleus and go to a special place.”

Said Davis in a statement: “We appreciate Jack's effort in building the foundation of this team for the future. Thank you to Jack, his wife, Linda, and his daughter, Aubrey, for their important contributions to the Raiders and our local community in Oakland. We wish them all the best."

Gruden coached the Raiders from 1998-2001 before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he won a Super Bowl title in 2002 by defeating his former team. He told ESPN there were no developments on a potential move.

"I don't want to sit here and speculate. ... There is no news to report," Gruden told the network Saturday. "I can't say I haven't taken any phone calls. I take a lot every year from coaches, some others. ... Yeah, sometimes owners. Guys want to bounce ideas off me. I'm here to help people."

Raiders players were making a quick exit from the locker room, with very little talk of Gruden.

Quarterback Derek Carr focused on Del Rio.

“It hurts when something sucky happens to someone you care about,” Carr said. “We weren't good enough for him. We have to take our ownership as players, and I think that's where we are right now. We're kind of angry that we let it get to that.”

Asked if the decision were fair, Carr replied, “I'm not getting into what's fair and what's not. This league is production oriented.”

Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack said the firing was unexpected but he appeared to take the news in stride.

“It's a production business.,” he said. “You know, you've got to produce to stick around and earn this money. It's part of the business.”

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