Mike Mayock

Raiders GM Mike Mayock On Antonio Brown, Jon Gruden, Derek Carr

January 17th, 2020 at 9:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Antonio Brown‘s time with the Raiders didn’t go as planned, to put it mildly. Oakland traded a couple of picks to acquire him from the Steelers, and he never ended up playing a game in the silver and black. Brown got into a very public spat with Raiders GM Mike Mayock, reportedly threatening to punch him and calling him a “cracker.” Although head coach Jon Gruden has final say on personnel matters, Mayock still caught a lot of flak for his handling of the situation. Now in an interview with Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Mayock reflected on the whole ordeal at length for the first time.

“I put that on me,” Mayock said. “My anticipation was that he was coming off a situation in Pittsburgh where he wants to prove everybody wrong and he wants to ride into the Hall of Fame. That he was going to come in with Jon Gruden and Derek Carr and our offense and lead the way. … I really thought we were going to get the best out of Antonio Brown and we didn’t.”

The Raiders ended up cutting Brown on September 7th, a couple of days after the blowup in the locker room. “We weren’t able to get anything out of him. So, at the end of the day, in hindsight, we lost a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick, and I can’t tell you how much pain that causes me,” Mayock continued. Gruden initially welcomed Brown back into the locker room the day after the altercation, which led to some speculation that the coach had taken the player’s side over his GM’s, and that Mayock wasn’t long for the franchise.

Mayock denied there were any issues between him and Gruden, and he didn’t seem concerned about his job security. “Jon and I are good,” Mayock said. “Jon and I talk everything through.” The Raiders are moving to Las Vegas this offseason, and rumors have swirled that they could be in the market for a new quarterback as they make the transition. Mayock spoke positively of Carr, saying “Derek stepped forward in Year 2 under Jon Gruden,” but he also hedged.

“As far as what the future holds, I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told you last year. About every position. And that is, my job is to evaluate every position and try and make us better. And if I can, I will, and if I can’t, I won’t. And that holds true at every position.” Spoken like a true GM. Carr was inconsistent once again this year, and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Raiders decide to make a splash at the position.

Mayock also talked about defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who the Raiders surprisingly drafted fourth overall last April. Ferrell got off to a slow start, and Mayock acknowledged as much. “I thought he was solid,” Mayock said. “Early in the year, we probably asked him to do too much. He had never played inside and he was splitting reps inside and outside. He lost weight, he was sick in London … those aren’t excuses, they’re facts.”

“After London, when he got his weight back up, I thought the season began to build for him. We asked him to play one position and I thought he got better and better each week, and we’re excited about him,” he continued. The former NFL Network analyst also revealed that he thinks the impending move will help attract free agents. “There is definitely a buzz about our move into Las Vegas,” he said. “Could be one of the big stories of free agency.” The Raiders will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2020.

Latest On Raiders, Antonio Brown

September 6th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Zachary Links

Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown and GM Mike Mayock got into it this week, and details of the argument are starting to emerge. At some point during the exchange, Brown cursed out Mayock and called him a “cracker,” according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson.

It was previously reported that Brown also threatened to punch Mayock in the face and punted a football during the exchange. After sending the ball into the sky, Brown told the GM, “Fine me for that!” Mayock, it seems, is ready to take things a step further by suspending the mercurial star, which would put his ~$30MM guarantee in jeopardy.

Brown’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, admits that Brown’s relationship with Mayock is not a great place. Meanwhile, he insists that Brown is on good terms with head coach Jon Gruden.

“Right now I think (Antonio Brown’s) relationship with Coach Gruden is good, very good. I’m not going to get into his relationship with Mike Mayock, but I will say that we’re hopeful that that will be a good one, as well. It has been in the past,” Rosenhaus said in an interview on ESPN.

The Raiders are reportedly set to suspend Brown, but nothing has officially happened on that front.

AB Notes: Gruden, Guarantees, Personal Conduct Policy

September 5th, 2019 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a chaotic day in Oakland, head coach Jon Gruden finally had a chance to address the Antonio Brown fiasco.

“Like I said, I’m not going to get into all of this,” Gruden said (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez). “Obviously, he wasn’t here today and when we have some information for you, we’ll give it to you. …I’ve been talking about the same guy every day.

“…I’m emotional about it, I hope you understand why. I think a lot of this guy. I think Antonio is a great receiver, and deep down I think he’s a really good guy. So, I’m frustrated, I’m not going to say anything more about it, hope it all works out. But I don’t have anything official to say about anything else, until I get all the facts and that’s what I’m going to do.”

At the very least, Gruden will have to prepare for Monday night’s season opener without the star receiver. We learned earlier this evening that the team was proceeding as if Brown won’t be available for Week 1.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Oakland…

We learned earlier that the Raiders could suspend Brown with the intention of voiding his more than $30MM in guarantees. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reviewed the receiver’s contract, and he notes that Brown’s behavior (and subsequent fines) already put him in default. Since he left training camp and later missed a walkthrough, the organization would already have the right to void the guarantees. In other words, if the team is done with Brown, a suspension wouldn’t have to precede his inevitable release.
If it’s true that Brown threatened to hit general manager Mike Mayock, then the receiver could also face discipline under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy (per Florio). It sounds like Brown couldn’t be suspended for the same violation by both the organization and the NFL, although Florio notes that the Raiders could justify some other reason for banning the wideout.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus talked to Stacey Dales on NFL Network, and colleague James Palmer snagged a couple of the soundbites (via Twitter). “I believe he wants to be an Oakland Raider,” Rosenhaus said. “I believe he wants to play. I believe he’s going to have a great season.” The agent also said he’s having ongoing negotiations with the team, but there’s no real timeline for a resolution.
Florio also got quotes from Rosenhaus (via PFT’s Michael David Smith): “I think there’s been a lot of speculation. The reality is that we’re still talking through many scenarios. There has yet to be a suspension. Nothing is final yet. I’ve been in touch with Coach Gruden, Mike Mayock. We’re doing our best to work this out. Trying to keep this relationship moving in a good direction again.”

Raiders’ Mike Mayock On Antonio Brown

September 5th, 2019 at 2:06pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday afternoon, Raiders GM Mike Mayock updated reporters on the ongoing Antonio Brown saga…sort of.

“Short and sweet, Antonio Brown is not in the building today,” Mayock said (video link). “He won’t be practicing. I don’t have any more information for you right now. When I have some and it becomes appropriate, you guys will all get it but that’s it for today.”

In case you missed it – the Raiders are reportedly planning to suspend the wide receiver after he got into a heated confrontation with Mayock. If Brown is suspended, the Raiders might be able to recoup part, or all, of Brown’s $30MM signing bonus. If that happens, Brown’s Raiders stint will likely end without him having ever played a down in silver and black.

Brown and Mayock did not come to blows, though Brown did have to be held back by Vontaze Burfict (of all people). In the course of the conversation, Brown reportedly punted a football and told Mayock, “Fine me for that.” Right now, it sounds like Mayock will take him up on the offer.

Meanwhile, Brown’s dissatisfaction has, once again, spilled over to social media. In recent hours, Brown unfollowed both the Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr on Instagram (h/t Runnyasa).

Draft Rumors: Raiders, Texans, Broncos, Falcons

April 12th, 2019 at 9:41pm CST by Micah Powell

The Raiders were busy in the 2018 NFL Draft and it looks like that could be the case again in 2019, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Michael Gehlken writes.

Holding three first-round picks and four in the first 35 selections, the Raiders have more than enough ammo needed to move up for a player they like or trade down to stockpile picks. Both scenarios seem like possibilities according to general manager Mike Mayock.

“Regardless of the scenario, we have to be ready to pick at four and be excited about a player,” Mayock said Thursday in a predraft news conference. “Right now, we might move up, and we might move back. Who knows? We won’t know until draft night. But if we’re ‘stuck’ at four, we have to be ready to go, and that’s a hell of a lot easier than worrying about all the permutations (of which players might be available) at 24, 27 and 35.”

In that same news conference, the first-year general manager noted that his preference would be to trade down and gather more picks to address the team’s deficiencies, NBC Sports’ Scott Bair writes.

Whether they move up or down, the Raiders will undoubtedly be one of the team’s to watch when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 25.

Here’s more draft news from around the league:

Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown had a private workout with the Texans, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Texans is just one of the handful of teams the slot receiver plans to visit, with the Packers, Colts, Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Bills also on the list, according to NFL Network’s James Palmer (Twitter link). Houston already has a deep receiver corps with DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller V and Keke Coutee, but the latter two have been repeatedly hampered with injuries.
The Broncos do not appear interested in Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen if he’s made available, Palmer tweets. He notes that things like asking price can change, but Denver appears more set with going with the newly acquired Joe Flacco or taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft.
The Falcons will be focusing on the line in the upcoming draft, ESPN’s Vaughn McClure writes. Owner Arthur Blank said as much, commenting they need to get younger on the offensive line and that defensive line is an area of need. Atlanta owns the 14th pick and have shown heavy interest in Oklahoma lineman Cody Ford. –

Raiders, Bills GMs Discuss Antonio Brown Trade Talks

March 15th, 2019 at 9:50am CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this week, the Steelers agreed to trade Antonio Brown to the Raiders in exchange for a third- and fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. However, that deal wouldn’t have even materialized if a reported Pittsburgh/Buffalo deal hadn’t fallen apart.

Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show, Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said he initially told the Steelers that he was “not interested” in making a deal for the wide receiver. When Pittsburgh was willing to drop their asking price (and when trade talks with the Bills broke down), the two sides ended up agreeing on a trade.

“I kept saying we’re not interested,” Mayock said (via Andrew Perloff of the Dan Patrick Show on Twitter). “Then the Buffalo thing fell through. One of their guys reached out to Jon [Gruden]. … [Steelers GM] Kevin [Colbert] said to me, would you trade your two? I said no, but we might trade our three.”

The GM said similar things to Mike Florio earlier this week. Despite there potentially being two additional suitors for Brown, Mayock and the Raiders were still able to pull off the deal.

On the flip side, the Bills weren’t able to pull off a trade for Brown. Reports from last week indicated that Buffalo was on the cusp of acquiring the star wide receiver, but the deal ultimately broke down. While there have been several reports that the deal was nixed because of Brown’s unwillingness to play in Buffalo, Bills general manager Brandon Beane continues to claim that it was his decision to not make the trade. The executive told reporters (including ESPN’s Mike Rodak) that talks with Pittsburgh were “positive all around,” but the organization ultimately “just decided to withdraw.”

Brown’s decision to not join Buffalo has led some to claim that the Bills are not a free agent destination. Beane was quick to dismiss that “narrative,” saying the opinion “started with a bad rumor on the Antonio Brown thing when people were looking for reasons and didn’t have all the facts.”

“Don’t speak about Buffalo if you don’t know what this city and fan base is like,” Beane said. “It really pissed me off. It’s not true. How many [free agent signings] flowed through here today? … I can’t tell you how many players commented ‘This is amazing. This is awesome. What a facility. What a culture.’ This city, we love it. Anybody that says that doesn’t know Buffalo and really is speaking out of ignorance.”

The Bills have been relatively active in recent days. The added a pair of wideouts in Cole Beasley and John Brown, and they’ve also added Mitch Morse, Frank Gore, Kevin Johnson, and Tyler Kroft.

Jon Gruden Discusses Raiders’ Plans For Draft, Free Agency

February 23rd, 2019 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders are armed with three first-round picks heading into April’s draft, providing the organization with plenty of flexibility. Head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock will have to decide how they’ll want to use their early-round picks, but it sounds like the team is certainly open to making some deals.

“I think there’s a lot of potential for trades, and I think that’s one of the things I’m excited about [with] Mike Mayock,” Gruden said during his appearance on “The Game Plan” podcast on the Raiders Podcast Network (via Raiders.com). “What he brings to the table, he’s got great resources around the NFL. He’s been in every building, he’s on a first-name basis, everybody knows Mike and I think he’s going to be on the phones quite a bit with the two picks you talked about. Who knows, we may move up with the No. 4 pick, we may move back with that pick. We’ll see how it all unfolds.”

In the first round, the Raiders have their own pick (#4), the Bears’ pick (#24), and the Cowboys’ pick (#27). Otherwise, the team has seven selections between the second and seventh round.

Of course, the organization is also focused on free agency. While Gruden seemed to indicate that the team will be active, he also cautioned that they’ll be targeting a specific grouping of players.

“We’ve been doing nothing but studying free agents,” Gruden said. “Guys [whose] contracts are up, obviously we aren’t looking to add players that are at the end of their career. We’re looking for blossoming young players, those guys usually don’t get to free agency. The pickings are slim for everybody, but there are a couple diamonds in the rough. We’ll see where the market goes, but you don’t want to spend all your money that you have on a few free agents, you want to try and keep some of that money available in case a trade might develop during the draft.”

After signing a 10-year, $100MM contract last offseason, Gruden’s team disappointed during his first season at the helm. The team ultimately finished the season 4-12, their worst showing since 2014.

Raiders Hire Mike Mayock As GM

December 31st, 2018 at 8:15am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We heard yesterday he was getting an interview, and now the Raiders are making the hire official. Oakland is making Mike Mayock their new GM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Mayock will be replacing Reggie McKenzie, who was fired earlier this month. While Mayock will get the title of general manager, coach Jon Gruden will still have final say over all personnel decisions, meaning Mayock will be working under Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it will be interesting to see how the new power structure gets along.

Mayock has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason, but this will be Mayock’s first time working in a front office. While it’s an outside the box hire, it’s not unheard of. Two offseasons ago the 49ers hired John Lynch from the broadcast booth to be their new GM.

The Raiders are in the middle of a rebuild, and facing an extremely important offseason. Thanks to their 4-12 record they own the fourth overall pick, and they also have first round picks from the Cowboys and Bears thanks to the Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack trades. While Gruden will have final say, Mayock will play a large role in a draft that the Raiders must hit on.

Raiders Interviewed Mike Mayock For GM Job

December 30th, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Raiders search for a general manager to replace Reggie McKenzie, one “strong candidate” has emerged from the pack. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that analyst Mike Mayock has interview for the team’s GM position is “firmly in the mix” for the open gig.

Garafolo cautions that Mayock is “one of a few” candidates for the position, noting that the Raiders have “kept their interviews quiet.” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the Raiders have interviewed “at least one candidate who is a minority,” satisfying the Rooney Rule. Therefore, they’re allowed to make a hire at any time.

College scouting director Shaun Herock has been filling in for McKenzie as GM, and it sounds like the team could give him a look for the position. Current Raiders executive Joey Clinkscales could also establish himself as a candidate, especially after being listed on the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s annual list of minority candidates for general manager vacancies. However, the organization hasn’t publicly said that they’ll be keeping McKenzie’s former right-hand man.

We previously heard that longtime Giants general manager Jerry Reese had turned down the opportunity to interview for the Raiders’ GM opening. Other potential candidates include Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger, Jaguars player personnel director Chris Polian, Lions exec Jimmy Raye III and Gruden’s former Buccaneers coworker Mark Domenik.

As our own Rory Parks previously pointed out, it currently seems that whoever serves as the Oakland GM right now would be little more than a figurehead and a yes man for head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it is likely that the club will have difficulty attracting an established GM candidate.

Mayock would seem to fit that bill. The 60-year-old has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason.

Redskins Considering Mike Mayock For GM

March 10th, 2017 at 2:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Yes, you read that right. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock is a candidate to become the next general manager of the Redskins, according to Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As previously reported, the Redskins are also considering ex-Bucs GM Mark Dominik.

For what it’s worth, Mayock denies having “official contact” with Washington. To us, that sounds like a technical denial rather than an outright one.

“There has been no official contact between myself and the team and no interviews about the job,” Mayock said in a statement (Twitter link). “My focus and energy – as it typically is this time of year – is squarely focused on the NFL Draft and NFL Network’s coverage of that event…this year in my hometown of Philly!”

Mayock, a former NFL safety, is one of the game’s most colorful personalities. Considered to be a leading expert in talent evaluation (at least, in the field of broadcasting), Mayock could bring a lot to the table as the Redskins approach the draft during this turbulent time.

What Mayock doesn’t offer, however, is front office leadership experience. He has been working in sports broadcasting since the mid-90s and has been with the NFL Network for about 12 years, but he has never overseen a draft room, managed a salary cap, or otherwise been responsible for the roster of any football team at any level. Scouting acumen counts, but – as the Jets are finding out with GM Mike Maccagnan – it doesn’t guarantee success.

Interestingly, Washington is not likely to hire a GM until after the draft, Schefter writes. He adds that Mayock has been considered for other front office jobs at various points in his career, but has passed on those opportunities to remain on TV. It’s not clear whether he has been in the mix for top front office jobs or just scouting positions. It’s also not clear how serious any of those offers were. For what it’s worth, the 49ers hired a GM with zero front office experience this winter and they seem confident about it working out.

This week, the Redskins relieved Scot McCloughan of his duties as GM. Depending on who you ask, the move was made either because McCloughan has an ongoing issue with alcohol or because of in-fighting and jealousy.

If Mayock gets the job, you can expect the Redskins to target players with bubble butts, sand in the pants, and oily hips. Perhaps even a few guys who are natural benders and downhill thumpers.