Jack Del Rio is the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders, the team announced on Thursday.
Rapoport adds that the Raiders decided Tuesday against sticking with interim coach Tony Sparano.
"Jack Del Rio brings a strong leadership presence to this organization," general manager Reggie McKenzie said in a released statement. "He has developed an excellent reputation as a coach in this league and we are happy that he is a Raider."
Oakland tipped its hand in terms of interest earlier this week, calling Denver the moment they were bounced from the playoffs for permission to speak with Del Rio again.
The coach is not a stranger to rebuilding projects, which likely made him an enticing option. The Raiders believe they have a franchise quarterback in Derek Carr and a future star in pass rusher Khalil Mack, two key positions to start building with.
In the meantime, he'll have to sort out a roster that is packed with a mix of pieces that are noteworthy in name but not complementary on the field.
Del Rio's choice in coordinators should give us more insight into how he plans to feature Carr and Mack. Rapoport reported that recently ousted coaches Marc Trestman and Mike Smith are the top options for offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively.
In nine seasons as a head coach, Del Rio went 68-71 with a pair of playoff appearances.
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