Jack Del Rio to Oakland Raiders: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Jack Del Rio reportedly has agreed to become the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He is replacing interim head coach Tony Sparano, who took over when the team fired Dennis Allen in September.

Continue for updates.

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Maurice Jones-Drew Calls Del Rio Hire Great for Raiders

Tuesday, Jan. 27

Oakland running back Maurice Jones-Drew spoke with Bleacher Report's Stephen Nelson about Jack Del Rio becoming the team's new head coach:

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Raiders Name Del Rio Head Coach

Wednesday, Jan. 14

The Raiders confirmed the hiring of Del Rio via their Twitter account:

Owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie spoke on the hire via a release on the team website:

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'After a thorough interview and evaluation process, we are excited to announce Jack Del Rio as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders,' said Owner Mark Davis. 'I have no doubt that he will make a significant impact and help reach the goal of everyone in this building, which is to win championships.'

'Jack Del Rio brings a strong leadership presence to this organization,' said General Manager Reggie McKenzie. 'He has developed an excellent reputation as a coach in this league and we are happy that he is a Raider.'

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Adam Schefter of ESPN originally confirmed confirmed a deal was in place:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided contract details:

ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported Del Rio was expected to be named the Raiders' new head coach Wednesday morning, which prompted immediate reaction from Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman:

On Jan. 13, Steve Corkran of InsideBayArea.com reported former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith would be the heavy favorite to be named the Raiders' defensive coordinator if Del Rio were named head coach.

Rapoport notes Del Rio's connection to a potential offensive coordinator for the team:

Del Rio has spent the better part of three decades involved in the NFL. First as a player, making stops with four different teams as a linebacker, before moving into the coaching realm. This will mark his second opportunity as a head coach.

The 51-year-old defensive guru was previously in charge of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003 until he was let go during the 2011 season.

He took over a young franchise trending in the wrong direction. After some struggles in his first year at the helm, the team made marked improvement over the next four with a combined record of 40-24 and two playoff appearances.

The Jaguars never finished better than 8-8 under his guidance after that stretch, however. Del Rio was fired after a 3-8 start in 2011. He ended his tenure with a 68-71 record and a 1-2 playoff mark.

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

He then moved on to the Denver Broncos, where he spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator. His defenses ranked in the top three in yards allowed twice during that span, including this past season, which ended with a quick exit from the playoffs.

Del Rio quickly became a popular commodity once the regular season ended. Despite that, he told reporters it didn't affect his postseason preparations, as noted by Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

"There's really nothing to balance," he said. "You attack one when you have time to do it and then you attack the other as you always do. My life hasn't changed."

Del Rio, who's also spent time on the coaching staffs of the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers, now gets another chance to prove himself as a head coach.

He's always seemed like a strong motivator—somebody who can get his team mentally prepared for game day. But in his latter years in Jacksonville, the talent level fell off, and after nearly a decade, it's tough for any coach to keep getting a certain message across.

It will be interesting to see how he fares given the fresh start. Coaches are usually only given a limited number of chances in the head role, so there's a lot of pressure on his shoulders to produce results very quickly.

The Raiders have young pieces to build around on each side of the ball, headlined by 2014 rookies Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, but they still have a long way to go on the road to rebuilding following a horrific 3-13 season.

Del Rio's track record suggests he won't shy away from the challenge.