One day after being fired as the Raiders head coach, Hue Jackson is in full spin-control mode.
On Wednesday, Jackson took to the air to give his side about comments he made minutes after his team’s season-ending loss to the San Diego Chargers, in which he said he wanted more control over the team and blamed his players for their play against the Chargers.
It’s interesting to note that new general manager Reggie McKenzie said Tuesday at his introductory news conference that Jackson’s comments after the Chargers game had “nothing to do with” Jackson being fired. He said everyone makes comments that they wish they could take back.
New owner Mark Davis said he didn’t want to comment on Jackson’s postgame remarks Jan. 1. That was the only question that Davis refused to answer, by the way.
Here’s the transcript from Jackson’s interview, courtesy of NFL Network:
On if he was caught off guard by being relieved of his duties by new Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie:
“I was a little surprised, but I do understand the nature of pro football. Sometimes things that look like they should don’t always end up like they should. So I understand. The Raiders did me a favor by giving me an opportunity, Al Davis did and I thank him for it. What a tremendous organization. My time there was awesome, the people at 1220 [Harbor Bay Parkway] who I worked with, they were tremendous – the staff was tremendous. I understand the nature of this business, but obviously I wish it would have went a different direction than it did.”
On how he found out that he would no longer be the head coach of the Raiders:
Al Davis] died; the person that told me was Mark – he came to my room and informed me of what had happened to Coach. I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to him. I did text him and tell him thank you for the opportunity and to thank him and his family, and I wish him well. But at the end of the day, like I said he’s the owner and he’s going to make the decision of which direction the franchise runs and I have to accept that.”
On the Raiders down the stretch of the regular season:
“We didn’t finish; it’s a term that I’ve always used. We didn’t play as well as we could have down the stretch, and again that’s what I was feeling after that San Diego game. We had so many opportunities, whether it was going to Miami, going to Green Bay, finishing at home against Detroit, went to Kansas City and then here comes San Diego. We weren’t able to get it done and I don’t have an excuse for that. At the end of the day, that’s my charge: to make sure that we do [get it done], and we didn’t. I know we played decently on offense, we didn’t play as well as we could or should on defense and the players know that. They own up to that and they respect that. But at the end of the day we just didn’t finish. When you don’t finish this is what happens: you end up 8-8 and you end up out of the playoffs.”
On if he wants to coach in 2012:
“There is no doubt I do. I love coaching, I love leading men and coaching guys. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, but I’m going to take a couple of days to just relax and then let the chips fall where they may. There is a place out there for me someplace and I think I’ll find it.”
Jackson regrets comments from final game news conference - Inside the Oakland Raiders - A look inside the world of the highly classified Oakland Raiders from the writers of Bay Area News Group
