Las Vegas Raiders fire head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler

The Las Vegas Raiders have fired their head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, the team announced on Tuesday.

"After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave," team owner Mark Davis said in a statement. "I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best."

ESPN reached out to Davis via phone over the reasons behind the firing. He said "no comment at this time," but he told ESPN that linebackers coach Antonio Pierce will take over as the interim head coach. Assistant general manager Champ Kelly will serve as the interim general manager until the end of the season, the Raiders said later in a follow-up announcement.

The Raiders are 3-5 after losing to the Detroit Lions 26-14 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday. They are currently at the bottom in the American Football Conference (AFC) West, though with the same record as the Denver Broncos who are above them.

Both McDaniels and Ziegler were hired in January 2022 after the Raiders made their second postseason run since 2002. The team then finished the 2022 regular season with a disappointing 6-11 record, missing the playoffs. What made things worse is how awkwardly they lost.

For example, the Raiders blew a 20-point lead from the first half and lost to the Arizona Cardinals 29-23 in September 2022; they lost to the Indianapolis Colts 25-20 under Jeff Saturday, who had never coached anything above high school before taking the Colts, in November 2022.

Though the Raiders have star players Davante Adams in the wide receiver position and Josh Jacobs as their running back, the team are in the 31st place of all 32 teams in total offense in yards per game, the 32nd in rushing yards per game and the 30th in average points per game.

McDaniels didn't last two full seasons in his last tenure when he coached the Broncos between 2009 and 2010.