Saturday, January 26, 2008

Raiders deny resignation report

by Steve Corkran

ESPN reported Friday that Raiders managing general partner Al Davis has asked Coach Lane Kiffin to resign after only one season because of philosophical differences.

The report added that Davis is looking at Dennis Green, former Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals coach, as a potential replacement.

The Raiders denied the report, with senior executive John Herrera calling it "a non-issue" and adding that Green "has already debunked the report."

Green told ESPN: "I haven't really talked to Al about any coaching job, but, really, how many times has my name been mentioned every time something goes on with the Raiders?"

Kiffin, who is in Mobile, Ala., to coach in today's Senior Bowl, told reporters that he didn't want to talk about recent developments.

"I'm not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the past three weeks," he said.

The relationship between owner and coach began to deteriorate earlier this month with Kiffin's insistence that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan be fired. Davis balked at such a move, according to people in the Raiders' front office.

Earlier this week, Ryan and Kiffin downplayed any rift and said their relationship is fine.

Once Davis blocked Kiffin's proposed firing of Ryan, Kiffin reportedly told Davis to fire him if he wasn't going to have autonomy over which coaches to hire and fire.

Davis responded by asking Kiffin to resign, according to the ESPN report, and even gave


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Kiffin a resignation letter to sign.

Kiffin reportedly refused. He is due approximately $4 million over the next two years.

Kiffin was allowed the freedom to hire new offensive coaches upon his arrival. Ryan and most of the defensive staff were under contract and retained.

Several reports said Davis stripped Kiffin of any authority over personnel and coaching moves, prohibited him from participating in meetings concerning free agency and the NFL draft and ordered him to clear any organizational decisions with Davis.

"It's all absolutely ridiculous, beyond belief," Herrera said. "Those stories are fraudulent. Everything is inaccurate. It's unconscionable. (The writers) should be held accountable. We're (angry) around here."

Kiffin, 32, was hired to replace the fired Art Shell a little more than a year ago. The Raiders improved to 4-12 under Kiffin and showed signs of emerging from a five-year funk that has resulted in a league-worst 19-61 record.

• The Raiders are slated to interview former receiver James Lofton on Monday. He was fired by the San Diego Chargers earlier this week after six years as their wide-receivers coach.

Lofton has interviewed with Davis twice for the team's coaching vacancy. Davis settled upon Shell and Kiffin, respectively. It is unclear what position Lofton is interviewing for this time.

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