As the Raiders' World Turns

If you think the Washington Redskins are a soap opera, think again. They can't match the Oakland Raiders for melodrama.

There has been talk around the league since the regular season ended that Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin was at odds with owner Al Davis. Kiffin wanted to fire Rob Ryan as the Raiders' defensive coordinator but Davis blocked the move, the talk went. There was speculation that Kiffin, who just completed his rookie season as an NFL coach, wanted to hire his father Monte Kiffin, the veteran defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to replace Ryan.

Things seemed to quiet down when Monte Kiffin signed a contract extension with the Buccaneers, but perhaps not. Today ESPN reported that Davis has drafted a letter of resignation meant to be signed by Lane Kiffin but Kiffin has refused to do so, contending that Davis will have to fire him if he wants a new coach. Davis is considering Dennis Green as a potential replacement for Kiffin, according to the ESPN report.

If the Raiders do have a new coach next season, it would be their fifth in a span of six years. Davis fired Bill Callahan after the 2003 season, Norv Turner after the 2005 season and Art Shell after the 2006 season. However, firing Kiffin would obligate the Raiders to pay him for the remaining two seasons on his contract, reportedly worth about $2 million per year.

The Raiders denied the report.

"There is no issue here," senior executive John Herrera said, according to the Associated Press. "There was never an issue here. There's nothing to it."

By Mark Maske |  January 25, 2008; 6:53 PM ET  | Category:  Raiders
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Posted by: zosodave | January 26, 2008 8:41 AM

Posted by: Giants Fan | January 26, 2008 3:50 PM

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