Raiders Rumors: Mike Caldwell Agrees to Contract as Antonio Pierce's LBs Coach | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell is joining the Las Vegas Raiders as their new linebackers coach and run game coordinator, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
The Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens were among the teams who pursued Caldwell, per Garafolo, but he ultimately chose to work for the Silver and Black and new head coach Antonio Pierce.
Caldwell will work on defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's staff. Graham, who went to Las Vegas to work as the DC on ex-head coach Josh McDaniels' staff in 2022, is staying in Vegas under Pierce.
Caldwell, 52, played in the NFL from 1993-2003 as a linebacker for six different teams. Over 159 games (49 starts), Caldwell made 521 tackles and eight interceptions.
His coaching career began in 2008 with the Philadelphia Eagles as their defensive quality control coach. Caldwell rose to the rank of linebackers coach in 2011.
Two years later, Caldwell served as the Arizona Cardinals' inside linebackers coach. In 2015, Caldwell left to become the New York Jets' assistant head coach andd inside linebackers coach for four seasons.
A three-year stop as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' inside linebackers coach then followed. Caldwell won a Super Bowl with the Bucs to cap the 2020 season.
Caldwell then got his first-ever defensive coordinator opportunity when Jags head coach Doug Pederson hired him to be on his staff.
In 2022, the Jags were 12th in points allowed, 18th in yards per play allowed, tied for fourth in takeaways and tied for 25th in sacks. In 2023, Jacksonville finished 17th in points allowed, 20th in yards per play allowed, tied for eighth in takeaways and tied for 26th in sacks.
The 2022 Jags overcame a 4-8 start to win five straight, take the AFC South and even win a playoff game. The 2023 Jags started 8-3 but lost five of six to drop out of the division lead and miss the playoffs.
With that, changes were made, and the Jaguars decided to overhaul the entire coaching staff.
Caldwell is certainly a good coach with plenty of quality experience, however, and he brings plenty to the table for a Raiders team whose momentum has shot up ever since Pierce took over as interim coach midseason.
