ALAMEDA, Calif. The Oakland Raiders fired Lane Kiffin on Tuesday just four games into his second season, ending a public feud with owner Al Davis that had been simmering since the start of the year.
“I reached a point where I felt that … the best thing to do to get this thing back was to make a change,” Davis, 79, said during a news conference. “It hurts because I picked the guy. I picked the wrong guy.”
The Raiders promoted offensive line coach Tom Cable to interim head coach.
Kiffin had a 5-15 record since being hired last year, losing his final game 28-18 on Sunday against San Diego.
The decision to remove Kiffin was more about his frequent criticisms of Davis' franchise as it was the team's performance on the field.
Those critiques reached a peak when Kiffin distanced himself from the defense after a blowout loss in the season opener, saying that was under coordinator Rob Ryan and Davis' control.
Davis also critiqued several of Kiffin's coaching and personnel decisions.
Among other things, he said Kiffin objected to the Raiders using the first pick in the 2007 draft on quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
The Raiders said Kiffin was fired for cause, meaning they will likely try not to pay him for the remainder of his contract. He signed a three-year deal worth about $6million when he took over last year.
Cable worked with successful lines in Atlanta and Oakland. He spent four years as a college head coach at Idaho, and was an assistant at UCLA, California and Colorado.
Elsewhere
BALTIMORE: Running back Willis McGahee has a rib injury and his status for Sunday against Tennessee is unclear.
CAROLINA: The Panthers signed offensive tackle Jonathan Palmer to their practice squad and released fullback Billy Latsko.
The addition of Palmer – an undrafted free agent in 2007 out of Auburn who spent time with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Oakland last season – will give the Panthers' injury-plagued offensive line more bodies to practice with this week.
Tackle Jordan Gross (concussion) will probably miss Sunday's game with Kansas City and tackle Jeff Otah had to leave last week's victory against Atlanta with a sprained ankle.
CINCINNATI: Running back Cedric Benson signed with the Bengals, who needed another runner and were undeterred by two alcohol-related arrests in Texas that prompted Chicago to let him go.
N.Y. GIANTS: Backup running back Danny Ware has been charged with an alcohol offense while walking in the road. Police say Ware and a woman were standing in the street talking and traffic had to steer around them.
PITTSBURGH: Starting right guard Kendall Simmons (heel) and first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall (shoulder) were lost to season-ending injuries during A 23-20 overtime win Monday against Baltimore.
ST. LOUIS: Quarterback Marc Bulger, benched Sunday by coach Scott Linehan, got his job back.
It was the biggest development of new coach Jim Haslett's first full day in charge of the winless team. Haslett, who became head coach Monday when Linehan was fired, said Bulger will be the starter the rest of the season.
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