The 2019 season was the Oakland Raiders' 60th since they were founded, their 50th in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Jon Gruden since his rehiring by the organization (sixth overall). It was the Raiders’ and NFL's last season in Oakland. The Raiders finished the season 7–9, improving on the prior season 4–12 record, but failing to make the playoffs for the third straight year and the 16th time in the last 17 years.
The Raiders were not eliminated from playoff contention until the final week of the season after losing to the Denver Broncos. Although they surprisingly started the season 6–4, leading some to believe they could potentially challenge the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West title, the Raiders would suffer a late season collapse losing five of their last six games, including the last game in Oakland to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After initially stating they would not return to RingCentral Coliseum for 2019, the Raiders were effectively forced to return to the stadium after their regional rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, blocked an effort to play at Oracle Park while they awaited the completion of Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. This was the 25th and final season in the team's second tenure in Oakland and marked the end of the team's longest continuous tenure in one city. It was announced on June 11, 2019, that the Raiders would be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks, premiering on August 6, 2019.
Prior to the season, the Raiders hired former NFL Network draft guru and former Notre Dame Football on NBC color commentator Mike Mayock as general manager.
To commemorate their 60th season, the Raiders wore a special logo which incorporated the torch lit at Raider games in honor of former owner Al Davis. Oakland went 5–3 at home, but only 2–6 on the road, which ultimately cost them a trip to the postseason.
Stadium negotiations In December 2018, the Raiders indicated they would not return to the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (renamed RingCentral Coliseum under a naming rights deal secured in May 2019) upon the expiration of its lease on the stadium after the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority filed a lawsuit against the team, seeking financial damages, and would be seeking another venue for the 2019 season. The Raiders then began negotiating a lease with Oracle Park in San Francisco in February 2019; however, the San Francisco 49ers refused to waive their territorial rights, effectively vetoing the deal. The team briefly negotiated for sharing Levi's Stadium with the 49ers, but the proposal was reportedly rejected for costing more than the Coliseum's asking price.
Unlike the case of the Tennessee Titans, in which the team played in Memphis' Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for 1997 and Nashville's Vanderbilt Stadium for 1998 until their new stadium was completed in 1999, the state of Nevada's two largest college stadiums, Mackay Stadium in Reno and Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, were either rejected or never considered.Raiders quietly continue search for 2019 home. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
On February 25, 2019, the Raiders reached an agreement in principle with the Coliseum Authority to return to the Coliseum for at least the 2019 season. Rent for the 2019 season cost the team $7.5 million, and rent for the 2020 season would have increased to $10.5 million if the option was invoked due to construction delays to Allegiant Stadium; the option for the 2020 season was never exercised. As part of the lease agreement, the Raiders did not receive naming rights revenue from RingCentral, and game-day expenses for the Coliseum Authority would also be capped. On March 15, 2019, the Coliseum Authority voted to approve the lease, while the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and Oakland City Council voted in favor of the lease on March 19 and 21, respectively, clearing all legal hurdles in time for the NFL's owners meetings on March 24.
Roster transactions
Free agents signed Position Player Age 2018 team WRTyrell Williams27Los Angeles ChargersOTTrent Brown25New England PatriotsSLamarcus Joyner28Los Angeles RamsLBVontaze Burfict28Cincinnati BengalsDEJosh Mauro28New York GiantsWRJ. J. Nelson26Arizona CardinalsQBMike Glennon29Arizona CardinalsCBNevin Lawson27Detroit LionsOGJordan Devey31Kansas City ChiefsSCurtis Riley26New York GiantsWRRyan Grant28Indianapolis ColtsQBLandry Jones29Jacksonville JaguarsTELuke Willson29Detroit Lions OGRichie Incognito35No team (out of football)
Players released Position Player Age 2019 team OTDonald Penn35Washington RedskinsQBA. J. McCarron28Houston TexansWRJordy Nelson33N/A (Retired)WRSeth Roberts28Baltimore RavensWRAntonio Brown31New England Patriots
Players lost Position Player Age 2019 team TEJared Cook31New Orleans SaintsGJon Feliciano27Buffalo BillsCBRashaan Melvin29Detroit Lions
Acquired in trade Position Player Age Acquired from Compensation sentWRAntonio Brown30Pittsburgh Steelers2019 3rd-round pick (66th overall) 2019 5th-round pick (141st overall)
Traded away Position Player Age Traded to Compensation receivedOGKelechi Osemele CHI's 2019 6th round pick (196th overall)29New York Jets2019 5th round pick (140th overall)CBGareon Conley24Houston TexansSEA's 2020 3rd round pick (? overall)
Draft
+ 2019 Oakland Raiders draft selections Round Selection Player name Position College Notes 1 4 Clelin Ferrell DE Clemson 24 Josh Jacobs RB Alabama From Chicago 27 Johnathan Abram S Mississippi State From Dallas 2 35 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 38 Traded to the Buffalo Bills From Jaguars 40 Trayvon Mullen CB Clemson From Bills 3 66 Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers 4 106 Maxx Crosby DE Eastern Michigan 109 Traded to the Indianapolis Colts From Jaguars 129 Isaiah Johnson CB Houston From Colts 135 Traded to the Atlanta Falcons From Colts 137 Foster Moreau TE LSU From Falcons 5 140 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars From Jets 141 Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers 149 Hunter Renfrow WR Clemson From Bengals via Cowboys 158 Traded to the Dallas Cowboys From Steelers via Raiders and Bills 6 175 Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers 196 Traded to the New York Jets From Bears 7 218 Traded to the Dallas Cowboys 230 Quinton Bell DE Prairie View A&M From Falcons 235 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars From Seahawks
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Raiders' preseason opponents and schedule were announced in the spring. On March 27, Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy stated during the league owners' meetings that the Packers and Raiders were in negotiations to play a preseason game August 22 at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with the Raiders as the designated home team. Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan was another potential site for the game, and the teams secured the cooperation of the city and local sports promoter On Ice Management, but the Saskatchewan Roughriders vetoed the proposal; the Roughriders feared they would be unable to reconfigure the field from NFL to CFL standards in time for the Roughriders' August 24 home game. When the preseason schedule was released, the August 22 Packers-Raiders game was subtly noted as a neutral-site contest, with no location identified. The Raiders confirmed the Winnipeg game June 5. Had the Winnipeg negotiations fallen through, or in the event the game cannot be held in Winnipeg, the game would be moved to Lambeau Field, thus effectively giving the Raiders only one home game and three away games.
Shortly before the game started, 33 Packers players (among them starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers) raised objections to the turf fill used to patch the holes where the goal posts had been in their CFL configurations and refused to play. In an unsuccessful effort to assuage those concerns, the league reconfigured the field such that the field was shortened to 80 yards and the last ten yards on each end was converted to end zones.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Los Angeles Rams W 14–3 1–0 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 2 at Arizona Cardinals W 33–26 2–0 State Farm Stadium Recap 3 Green Bay Packers W 22–21 3–0 IG Field Recap 4 at Seattle Seahawks L 15–17 3–1 CenturyLink Field Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Denver Broncos W 24–16 1–0 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 2 September 15 Kansas City Chiefs L 10–28 1–1 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 3 September 22 at Minnesota Vikings L 14–34 1–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 4 September 29 at Indianapolis Colts W 31–24 2–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap5 October 6 Chicago Bears W 24–21 3–2 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Recap 6 Bye 7 October 20 at Green Bay Packers L 24–42 3–3 Lambeau Field Recap 8 October 27 at Houston Texans L 24–27 3–4 NRG Stadium Recap 9 November 3 Detroit Lions W 31–24 4–4 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 10 Los Angeles Chargers W 26–24 5–4 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 11 November 17 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–10 6–4 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 12 November 24 at New York Jets L 3–34 6–5 MetLife Stadium Recap 13 December 1 at Kansas City Chiefs L 9–40 6–6 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 14 December 8 Tennessee Titans L 21–42 6–7 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 15 December 15 Jacksonville Jaguars L 16–20 6–8 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 16 December 22 at Los Angeles Chargers W 24–17 7–8 Dignity Health Sports Park Recap 17 December 29 at Denver Broncos L 15–16 7–9 Empower Field at Mile High Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos
Just days before the game, the Raiders released wide receiver Antonio Brown, who was acquired via trade prior to the season, stemming from conduct detrimental to the team, including a heated argument with general manager Mike Mayock. However, the Raiders played well without Brown, as quarterback Derek Carr, wide receiver Tyrell Williams, and rookie running back Josh Jacobs all had strong performances, with the defense stifling Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco for much of the game. With a statement win, the Raiders opened their final season in Oakland at 1–0.
Week 2: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Against traditional rival Kansas City, Oakland took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, but the Chiefs stormed back with four touchdown passes from quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the second quarter. Despite the Chiefs being hampered by injuries to key offensive players such as Mahomes, Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy in the second half, the Raiders could not take advantage as Derek Carr threw two interceptions in the third quarter, and the offense was forced to punt on its final two possessions of the game. Oakland fell to 1–1 with the loss. This was the final football game at the Coliseum with the baseball diamond present.
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts
After two consecutive losses, Oakland surprised the Colts by taking a 21–10 halftime lead. Though the Colts managed to cut the Raiders' lead to seven by the fourth quarter, Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw a crucial pick-six to Raiders safety Erik Harris just before the two-minute warning, effectively putting the game away for Oakland. With the win, the Raiders improved to 2–2. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict was ejected from the game and later suspended the rest of the season for initiating two helmet-to-helmet hits, including one on Colts tight end Jack Doyle.
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears NFL London Games