We step away from the goings on with Mark Davis moving the Raiders to Las Vegas for Reggie McKenzie to receive his third award this offseason for Executive of the Year. This one coming from the Sporting News.
Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio -- who won a coach of the year award himself for the Raiders resurgent 2016 campaign — tweeted out a photo of McKenzie holding his award.
#Raiders congrats to our GM Reggie McKenzie being recognized as the Sporting News 2016 Executive of the year! #ReturnToGreatness pic.twitter.com/tVux0Nwr5O
— Jack Del Rio (@coachdelrio) March 27, 2017
Previously McKenzie had been named Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America as well as by a panel on Sports Illustrated’s MMQB.
Following his PFWA award, McKenzie, discussed how the Raiders turned things around from a 3-13 team in 2014 to a 12-4 team last season.
“I would say it’s an accumulation of things. I really do,” said McKenzie. “Whether you point at a certain free agent or a certain draft pick, claim or coach decision, it’s an accumulation of all of the above. That’s what you have to really hang your hat on, just being consistent in the process, with your philosophy, how you want your team to look and play like.”
Winning the award is also more of an accumulation of moves over time. The Raiders success last season was based mostly on moves made in the two seasons prior such as the drafting of Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, and Gabe Jackson in 2014 or the drafting of Amari Cooper and signing of Michael Crabtree, Rodney Hudson, and David Amerson in 2015. Then the signings of Kelechi Osemele and Bruce Irvin last offseason gave them that extra edge.
The result was the Raiders first winning season (12-4) in 14 years and a trip to the playoffs.
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