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Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders chose to move star pass rusher Khalil Mack before the start of the regular season instead of paying the defensive juggernaut
“It wasn’t my goal to trade Khalil when we got here. One of the reasons I’m here is because of him.” Says it was a contract standoff. Economics/salary cap factored.
We have waited. We waited and waited, and the Rams game was looming,”. “Our feeling was he was not going to report anytime soon. Like I said, I saw the Redskins go through it with Kirk Cousins, this long process. You can wait it out. You can franchise him. You can force him to play. But we made a decision and we’re going to stand by it.“We made an offer. I don’t believe we were anywhere close to where the Bears were. The Bears made us an offer that we thought was really unique.”
Eventually the Bears pulled the trigger on the trade and immediately made Mack one of the highest paid players in the league.
Khalil Mack (@52Mack_), @ChicagoBears agree to six-year $141M extension with $90M guaranteed: https://t.co/4l0FaEvHFF (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/W5bpv5qeSH
— NFL (@NFL) September 1, 2018
The move has already paid dividends in the team’s first game as Mack has wreaked havoc on the Packers offensive line and picked up two turnovers including a pick-six in the first half of the game.
Khalil Mack strips DeShone Kiser, forces his first turnover as a member of the Chicago Bears. (via @NFL) https://t.co/PP4zn8avNb
— LeadingNFL (@LeadingNFL) September 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/NoHuddle_NFL/status/1038966407269109761
The Internet went on to roast Jon Gruden after Mack’s impressive first half vs the Packers.
https://twitter.com/BenRogers/status/1038966699029143552
Jon Gruden watching Khalil Mack like goddamn that guys good I gotta get me somebody like that
— Trill Withers (@TylerIAm) September 10, 2018
Everyone laugh at Jon Gruden
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) September 10, 2018
How Raiders fans looking at Jon Gruden for trading Khalil Mack pic.twitter.com/AAFe1JNoSH
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) September 10, 2018
Jon Gruden hiding from #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/5McbnSsfZP
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 10, 2018
The 30 for 30 on Jon Gruden trading Khalil Mack is going to be great.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) September 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/1038965605460848640
The Raiders should fire Jon Gruden right now for letting Khalil Mack go.
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 10, 2018
Here’s a live look in at Jon Gruden… pic.twitter.com/ihXrDeolwP
— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) September 10, 2018
Jon Gruden watching the Khalil Mack show tonight like… pic.twitter.com/SHucgxCXI7
— Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) September 10, 2018