Silver And Black Pride
Tom McMahon simply had to go.
Special teams used to be a traditional strength of the Silver & Black — immune from suffering that ailed the offense and defense. But McMahon’s unit wilted under the primetime lights with another blocked punt and a missed field goal.
Good on Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll for sacking the special teams coordinator after stinker another stinker of a performance.
“Earlier today, we made the tough decision to relieve Tom McMahon of his duties as special teams coordinator,” Carroll said in a statement posted on the Raiders official website Friday. “I have a great amount of respect for Tom and the work that he has done in this league, but we have decided to move in a different direction. Derius Swinton II will assume special teams coordinator duties on an interim basis and we are excited to attack the second half of this season with outstanding intent and purpose. We are grateful for Tom and his work here with the Raiders and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
McMahon arrived as special teams boss by former Raiders head man Josh McDaniels back in 2022 and inherited a kicking battery of kicker Daniel Carlson (a 2021 All Pro second-team selection) and punter AJ Cole III (a 2021 All Pro first-team selection and pro bowler). He’s a holdover of both McDaniels and then Antonio Pierce who succeeded the former. And Carroll decided to keep McMahon in place. The results of that decision are horrific for Las Vegas in 2025.
Carlson’s field goal percentage has waned since 2022 going from 91.9 percent to 86.7, 85.0, and currently 75.0 percent. At 12 of 16 on the year — his potential Week 4 game-winning field goal against the Chicago Bears was blocked — Carlson’s percentage currently is the second lowest with a 19 of 26 season in 2019 (73.1) being his worst. Cole, meanwhile, is having a down 2025 campaign with a 47.6 yards per punt average. He’s also suffered two blocked punts so far this year (tied for most in the NFL) and had two in 2024. No other team can approach that kind of ineptitude protecting their punter.
And that’s just the boot specialists under McMahon’s charge. Las Vegas’ punt and kick return coverage units are topsy turvy with the team getting torched on a 90-yard house call on a punt against the Washington Commanders in Week 3. Then, in Week 5, the Raiders were fortunate a holding call wiped out a kick return touchdown by the Indianapolis Colts. Not to mention the poor angles, lane discipline, and tackling ability (or lack thereof), the operation was a mess under McMahon and he had to go.
Suffice it to say but, the bar is set low for interim special teams boss Derius Swinton II.
And McMahon’s dismissal is likely one of many Raiders’ dominos to fall if Carroll remains head honcho this offseason. The 74-year-old coaching veteran perhaps will make additional changes to...
