New Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels says he wasn't ready in first shot with Denver Broncos

HENDERSON, Nev. — Josh McDaniels acknowledged Monday in his introductory news conference as Las Vegas Raiders coach that he wasn't ready for the position in his first go-around, more than a decade earlier with the Denver Broncos.

After admitting something else to Raiders owner Mark Davis.

«When I went to Denver, I knew a little bit of football,» McDaniels said of his 28-game tenure with the Broncos over the 2009 and 2010 seasons. «I didn't really know people and how important that aspect of this process and maintaining the culture and building the team was. I failed, and I didn't succeed at it.

»Looking at that experience has been one of the best things in my life in terms of my overall growth as a person, as a coach. What do I need to do different, how do I need to handle my role, if I have another opportunity, and do better at it?"

McDaniels, who was just 33 years old when the Broncos plucked him off the New England Patriots' staff, was fired by Denver after posting an 11-17 record. He went to the then-St. Louis Rams in 2011 as their offensive coordinator and back to the Patriots a year later before verbally accepting the head job with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, then backing out.

McDaniels said the Raiders, who also hired his good friend and Patriots confidante in Dave Ziegler as general manager, presented the right opportunity at the right time.

«I was very impressed with how exhaustive they were, just in their evaluation of me and my fit and how I would fit into their vision, and then you come out and you spend time with them, you meet the people, you see that everything is done in a first-class manner,» said McDaniels, who has been an NFL offensive coordinator/play caller since 2006. «Their commitment to