Raiders' Josh McDaniels: 'I Appreciate' Mark Davis' Support Amid 2-7 Start

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is glad to have team owner Mark Davis on his side.

"I appreciate Mark's support—I've always appreciated it," McDaniels told reporters Wednesday. "I've said that number of times. We're all here because of him and we all want to do right by him.

"He's continued to try and give us anything we need or ask for to try to help us be successful. I appreciate his long-term view on it, too. I really do."

McDaniels' comments come after Davis said he believes the coach is "doing a fantastic job," per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The owner also said "why wouldn't I?" when asked if he thinks the Raiders have their long-term head coach.

Echoing those sentiments, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported McDaniels, who signed a four-year contract with Las Vegas ahead of the 2022 campaign, was "given assurances by ownership that he will return" next season.

While there may be more of a long-term approach for the Raiders after a 2-7 start, they figured to be in win-now mode this year after trading for Davante Adams during the offseason. This team made the playoffs a season ago and gave up multiple draft picks for one of the top wide receivers in the league.

Things have not gone to plan, and Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts was perhaps the most jarring considering the AFC South team was playing its first game since firing head coach Frank Reich and hiring former center Jeff Saturday even though the latter had no coaching experience at the NFL or college levels.

McDaniels has a track record of success that includes three Super Bowl titles as an offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots as part of Bill Belichick's staff.

Yet the concern for the Raiders is that his track record doesn't extend to his time as a head coach when he doesn't have Tom Brady under center. He went just 11-17 as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010 and isn't exactly inspiring much confidence during his start with Las Vegas.

Perhaps things will eventually turn around, but he can at least take solace in knowing that Davis is in his corner.