Who Is Mike Mayock? Oakland Raiders Hire New General Manager

The Oakland Raiders just hired their second general manager not named Al Davis since 1963. NFL Network draft analyst and broadcaster Mike Mayock got the job as the Raiders finished the first season of the new Jon Gruden era, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

The 60-year-old Philadelphia native played college football at Boston College before being a 10th round draft choice by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1981. He never played for the Steelers, though, as he was cut by the team and instead played his rookie season with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.

Mayock then played two seasons as a defensive back for the New York Giants before his playing days ended.

He then went on to become a prolific broadcaster and TV draft analyst, calling preseason games for the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, as well as providing coverage of the annual Senior Bowl and scouting combine. He also provided color commentary for Notre Dame football games, starting in 2011.

Mayock’s path to an NFL general manager position is similar to that of former Detroit Lions CEO Matt Millen and current San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch. All three were former players who got executive jobs after years of broadcasting rather than rising up the ranks of NFL front offices.

He will replace outgoing GM Reggie McKenzie, who had held the job since 2012. Prior to McKenzie, deceased owner Al Davis had been the team’s de facto general manager since the early 1960s.