Dennis Allen Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation on Coach's Future with Raiders

Updates from Monday, Sept. 29

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports on Dennis Allen's fate as head coach of the Raiders:

Ed Werder of ESPN reports on how Allen was fired and the three candidates to take over as interim coach:

Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com previously reported the latest on Allen's status as Raiders head coach:

"

It would be surprising if head coach Dennis Allen retained his post through the Week 5 bye, as NFL sources have indicated to CSN Bay Area that he could be fired in the coming days.

A source told CSN reporter Fallon Smith after Sunday's game that the 0-4 start has sealed Allen’s fate.

Nothing has been made official as of early Monday morning, when the Raiders flew back to Oakland. As always, the Raiders owner reserves the right to change his mind.

It’s doubtful that he will.

"

Earlier, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Allen currently remains the Raiders' head coach:

Updates from Sunday, Sept. 28

Terry Collins of the Associated Press reported that Dennis Allen was going to be fired this week. Just a few minutes later, he would delete the tweet and offer an apology: 

"

Please disregard my recent tweet about the Raiders. These rumors haven't been confirmed by the AP. I'm sorry.

— Terry Collins (@APtcollins) September 29, 2014"

"

I have no information about the status about the Raiders coach. I was never covering the story.

— Terry Collins (@APtcollins) September 29, 2014"

Below is the tweet that was retracted:  

"

My sources tell me that @RAIDERS head coach Dennis Allen is fired and an announcement could come as soon as Tuesday

— Terry Collins (@APtcollins) September 29, 2014"

Original Text

Dennis Allen's days as the Oakland Raiders head coach could be numbered. 

Amidst the team's 0-2 start and an 8-26 record since he took over the gig in 2012, speculation has begun to run rampant that Allen's job security has diminished considerably. Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday passed along the following report from Adam Schefter of ESPN on Twitter:

"We need change," Allen told Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News after the team's most recent loss, perhaps not sensing yet that he might be the change coming. "We're a better football team than we put out on the field today."   

Still, the Raiders might yet be patient with Allen, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com:

It wouldn't be shocking if Allen was indeed on his last life but was allowed a bit more time to turn things around. He is starting a rookie quarterback in Derek Carr, after all, and while the team was extremely busy in free agency this year the majority of the additions were either veterans on the wrong side of their primes or solid but unspectacular additions.

Already, he's seen arguably the highest profile addition, running back Maurice Jones-Drew, miss time due to an injury. So while Allen's 8-26 record is hardly excusable, it should at least be considered that he's been expected to paint a winning team with quite a few colors missing from his palette. 

The problem for Allen and the Raiders is that things are likely to get worse before they get better. They still have to face the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers (twice), Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos (twice), San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. In at least 10 of their final 14 games, the Raiders figure to be pretty big underdogs.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Can Allen turn things around? 

It's certainly possible. Perhaps the team will rally around its beleaguered coach. Perhaps things will simply click for the Raiders and they start winning games. Perhaps Carr will ascend to the level of a franchise quarterback faster than expected.

It all seems unlikely, of course, and Allen might not be given a very long leash—if any leash at all—to reverse course. After two seasons and change to make his mark, Allen now finds himself in dire straits.