Raiders fire special teams coordinator during mistake-filled season

The Raiders fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon on Friday, one day after his unit suffered multiple breakdowns in the team’s 10-7 loss to the Broncos.

Assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton II will serve as McMahon’s replacement on an interim basis.

AJ Cole had a punt blocked in Thursday’s loss, which set up Denver’s game-winning field goal. Kicker Daniel Carlson also missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game.

Those were the latest miscues for a unit that has struggled all season.

The Raiders (2-7) previously gave up a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in a Week 3 loss to the Commanders, had a potential game-winning field goal get blocked in a Week 4 defeat to the Bears and had a punt get blocked in a Week 5 loss to the Colts.

Carlson also missed a crucial extra point in the team’s 30-29 overtime loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.

“Earlier today, we made the tough decision to relieve Tom McMahon of his duties as special teams coordinator,” coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. “I have a great amount of respect for Tom and the work that he has done in this league, but we have decided to move in a different direction.”

McMahon, 56, was hired by the Raiders in 2022 to work under then-coach Josh McDaniels. He was retained by McDaniels’ replacement, Antonio Pierce, and Carroll. McMahon has coached in the NFL since 2007 and was previously the special teams coordinator for the Rams (2009-11), Chiefs (2012), Colts (2013-17) and Broncos (2018-21).

Swinton, 40, has worked in the NFL since 2009 and has spent time with the Chargers, Rams, Bears, Chiefs, 49ers, Lions and Cardinals.

“Derius Swinton II will assume special teams coordinator duties on an interim basis and we are excited to attack the second half of this seaosn with outstanding intent and purpose,” Carroll said. “We are grateful for Tom and his work here with the Raiders and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

One of Swinton’s first orders of business needs to be getting Carlson back on track.

The 30-year-old pending free agent has made 75 percent of his field-goal attempts this season (12-of-16), which ranks 29th in the NFL among kickers with more than five tries. Carlson is 3-of-6 on kicks of 50-plus yards.

“He has to kick better,” Carroll said Thursday. “It kills him, too. He wants to make every one of those, and he has to kick better for it.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignom’s re@reviewjournal. com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.