Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has a vacant spot on his coaching staff to fill just two months before the start of the 2021 season.
Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Raiders running backs coach Kirby Wilson has decided to retire. Wilson is one of the more highly-respected assistants in the NFL. Gruden will have to work quickly to find a replacement assistant.
“#Raiders RBs coach Kirby Wilson, one of the game’s most respected, has informed the team he is retiring, source said,” Rapoport reported via Twitter. “A RBs coach for 7 teams over the past two decades, Wilson now steps aside.”
It isn’t too often an NFL team loses an assistant coach to retirement so close to the start of a season. It’ll be interesting to see how Gruden handles this situation with training camps set to begin across the NFL soon.
#Raiders RBs coach Kirby Wilson, one of the game’s most respected, has informed the team he is retiring, source said. A RBs coach for 7 teams over the past two decades, Wilson now steps aside.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2021
Kirby Wilson has been an NFL coach since 1997. He began his career with the New England Patriots and also had stops with Washington, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Cleveland and Vegas. Congratulations on a wonderful career, Kirby!
The Raiders, meanwhile, are entering a pivotal season. They finished 8-8 last year, but failed to make the AFC Playoffs. Gruden, meanwhile, is entering his fourth year as Raiders head coach. He’s 19-29 through his first three years.
Vegas has made continual progress with Gruden at the helm. We’ll have to wait to find out if the Raiders take another jump.
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