ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders formally agreed Thursday on a four-year deal to make Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen their new coach.
New Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie had decided Tuesday to hire Allen to replace the fired Hue Jackson as coach. The two sides finalized the details Thursday, a person familiar with the process said on condition of anonymity because the team isn't publicly discussing the search.
Comcast SportsNet California first reported the length of the deal. Broncos coach John Fox had confirmed the hiring Wednesday.
Allen is Oakland's seventh coach since 2003. The Raiders have gone nine consecutive seasons without a winning record or a playoff berth, just missing out on the AFC West title on tiebreakers with an 8-8 record last season.
Allen, 39, will be the first new Raiders coach to come from the defensive side of the ball since late owner Al Davis hired linebackers coach John Madden in 1969.
In his first season as coordinator in Denver, Allen helped the Broncos improve from allowing an NFL-worst 29.4 points and 390.8 yards allowed per game to ranking 20th in yards (357.8) and 24th in points (24.4) this season on the way to an AFC West title.
Allen spent five years as a defensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints and also coached for the Atlanta Falcons before running the Broncos' defense this season.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
