The Oakland Raiders have been a franchise that has been all over the place in recent years, and now they're looking for some stability from the coaching staff as they prepare for a return to the playoffs. The Raiders already have some talented players on the roster, but it's tough for them to develop when there's a new coach in place seemingly every other season.
Oakland hired a rising star this offseason with head coach Dennis Allen. While no head coaching gig in the NFL is safe these days, a recent report suggests Allen is going nowhere assuming the team doesn't completely fall apart in 2012.
Here is the latest from Pro Football Weekly, and here's what they said about the Raiders.
In reality, the 39-year-old first-time coach isn't going anywhere. The Raiders hired him for a measure of stability following a decade-plus of constant change, and they see him as a rising star in the business. The fact that Al Davis has passed away and that Reggie McKenzie - by all barometers, a far more measured and far less implusive man than Davis - is making the football decisions is a good thing for Allen. He'll be allowed to implement his defense, make a long-term decision at quarterback and establish his leadership in the locker room at a reasonable NFL pace.
What Allen needs to do to keep his job in 2013: Avoid a total trainwreck. We're talking a 1-15 or 0-16 Hindenburg-esque disaster here. He'll be back almost no matter what unless he shockingly proves to be completely incompetent, which his strong supporters say won't happen.
It should be an exciting year for the Raiders in a tough AFC West. It'll be even more exciting knowing that their current head coach is expected to stick around for more than a year or two.
For more on the Raiders, be sure to check out Silver and Black Pride.