While the rest of the sporting world deals with the realities of playing in this new age of pandemic, professional football is steaming forward with the hopes of opening the 2020 season on time.
As part of the new normal, Commissioner Roger Goodell declared that, at least for this year, teams should stay at home for training camp and work out of their own facilities. For the Raiders, that meant ending a 24-year marriage with the folks in Napa, where the team had held training camp every summer beginning in 1996.
Owner Mark Davis had every intention of having the Raiders back in Napa this year, even though the franchise has moved to Las Vegas. And he hasn’t ruled out a return in 2021, even though the agreement with Napa has ended.
“I love it here,” Davis told reporters about a year ago. “I have no problem with it, and it makes sense. No matter where we go, we’ll have to fly to Las Vegas from training camp. If we go to Reno or anywhere else in the world to train, we would still have to fly there. Then why not just fly from here?”
For now, all eyes are on Henderson where the final touches on the Raiders’ new $75 million headquarters are still being applied.
The facility is a massive upgrade over what the team had previously. There is more than 320,000 square feet of space filled with meeting rooms, training camps and a huge weight room. Additionally, there are three outdoor fields — same as they had in Alameda — along with 1 ½ indoor fields where the players will practice when the notorious Las Vegas heat comes.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was blown away by what he saw on an early visit to the Henderson complex.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Silver & Black Illustrated.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Silver & Black Illustrated.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
‘We have to be a much more detailed football team'
Like so many Raiders fans, coach Jon Gruden found himself searching for answers after the Raiders’ second-half collapse that cost the team a spot in the expanded playoffs.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Starting Tackle Kolton Miller is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Wanted: Defensive coordinator
The Raiders didn’t wait long to begin their search for a new defensive coordinator, and it’s becoming clear that Jon Gruden has already narrowed his list down.
Raiders' good, bad, ugly
Raiders’ good, bad, ugly
NEWS & NOTES
The Raiders had one of the easier schedules in 2020 and got only eight wins to show for it. Things won’t get any easier in 2021, either.
Looking back at 2020 season
The 2020 season will absolutely be remembered for being one of the strangest and most disappointing in franchise history.
Gruden feeling the heat?
“I know there is a big bull’s-eye on my chest, certainly. If the people want to use that as an incentive, then so be it. I worked for Al Davis in 1998. That was pressure. I was 34 years old. I’ve dealt with pressure before. I don’t really feel pressure. I love the excitement and thrill of competing, and I can’t worry about things I can’t control in that regard. I know people will want to step on me and beat me, and that is just the way this league is.”
From the SILVERANDBLACK.com Message Boards
S&BI continually scans the message boards across Raider Nation to see what Raider fans are talking about now that the 2020 season has ended for the Raiders. We chose some of the better posts and present them here.
Checklist for 2021
Now that the 2020 season has been put to rest for Las Vegas, the Raiders have shifted their focus to what figures to be a busy offseason as they prepare for 2021.
AFC WEST ROUNDUP
The Chargers fired coach Anthony Lynn after four seasons.
