HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders have appointed John Spytek, previously the assistant general manager for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as their new GM, according to a source familiar with the development. This information comes from a confidential source since the official announcement of the hire has yet to be made public.
Spytek, who is 44 years old, takes over the general manager duties from Tom Telesco, who was dismissed after a single season in charge. Alongside Telesco, head coach Antonio Pierce has also been let go, leaving the Raiders in search of a new coaching leader.
It is believed that Tom Brady, the minority owner of the Raiders and former quarterback for the Buccaneers, played a significant role in both the hiring of Spytek and the ongoing search for a new head coach. Brady and Spytek were college teammates at the University of Michigan, which may have influenced the decision.
Spytek has spent considerable time within the Buccaneers organization, working as their assistant general manager for the past two years and a total of nine years with the team. During his tenure, Spytek contributed to the Buccaneers’ consecutive success as they captured the NFC South title for the fourth consecutive season.
The Raiders face a significant challenge in the competitive AFC West, which boasts three of the league’s premier quarterbacks and coaches with proven Super Bowl experience. Since reaching the Super Bowl in the 2002 season, the Raiders have only made two playoff appearances, and their roster requires considerable improvements, particularly at the quarterback position.
With the sixth pick in the upcoming draft, the Raiders may miss the chance to select premier college quarterbacks such as Shedeur Sanders from Colorado or Cam Ward from Miami, unless they pursue a trade. However, they do have nearly $100 million in salary cap space available, offering Spytek numerous opportunities to strengthen the team.
In addition to his responsibilities as GM, Spytek will also work on hiring a new head coach. There is speculation about whether Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, might be considered for the role, although the Raiders have not yet sought an interview with him. Coen recently withdrew from consideration for a coaching position with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was believed to be a primary target for the Raiders, but he accepted the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears earlier this week. Another candidate, Pete Carroll — ex-coach of the Seattle Seahawks and USC — may also be in the running. Carroll had conversations with the Bears prior to their recent hire of Johnson.
The Raiders have also expressed interest in various other candidates, including Vance Joseph, the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos; Todd Monken, the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens; Ron Rivera, a former coach for the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers; Robert Saleh, the former Jets coach; and Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.
