| 2016 Oakland Raiders season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Mark Davis |
| General manager | Reggie McKenzie |
| Head coach | Jack Del Rio |
| Home field | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 14–27 |
| Pro Bowlers | QB Derek Carr WR Amari Cooper C Rodney Hudson LB Khalil Mack FS Reggie Nelson G/T Kelechi Osemele T Donald Penn |
| AP All-Pros | G/T Kelechi Osemele (1st team) LB Khalil Mack (1st team) P Marquette King (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2016 season was the Oakland Raiders' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall, their 22nd since their return to Oakland, and the second under head coach Jack Del Rio. The Raiders improved on a 7–9 campaign in 2015 and finished with a winning record for the first time since 2002, finishing the regular season with a 12–4 record.
The Raiders, with their Week 15 win over the San Diego Chargers, clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2002, ending their 14-year playoff drought.[1][2] The Raiders finished the season tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West division title, but lost the tiebreaker due to a head-to-head sweep.
In a Week 16 game against the Indianapolis Colts, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr sustained a broken fibula while being sacked by Trent Cole and missed the remainder of the season including the Raiders sole postseason game.[3][4][5] Backup quarterback Matt McGloin started the final game of the season for Carr,[6] but he had a shoulder injury during the game forcing rookie Connor Cook to play.[7] Cook started the Wild Card playoff game against the Houston Texans, making him the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to make his very first NFL start in a playoff game.[8][9][10] The Raiders were unable to win their first playoff game since 2002, falling to the Houston Texans 27–14 in a game where Cook threw one touchdown and three interceptions and the Raiders struggling on offense, which was the first time since 1991 when they were in Los Angeles that the Raiders went one-and-done.[11]
On January 10, 2017, three days after the loss to the Texans, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave's contract was not renewed.
Linebacker Khalil Mack was awarded Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award at seasons end.
With the Raiders missing the playoffs following their season finale on December 29, 2019, this was the final time the Oakland-based Raiders qualified for the playoffs as they relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada starting in the 2020 NFL season. The Raiders would not make the playoffs again until the 2021 season when they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wild Card Game, 19–26. This was the Raiders' only winning season from 2003 to 2020, as well as their last winning season during their Oakland-based days.
- ^ "Patriots, Raiders clinch playoff spots". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Raiders clinch playoff berth". SFGate. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ Jacobs, Melissa. "Raiders in trouble after QB Carr breaks leg". SI.com. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Raiders QB Derek Carr breaks leg against Colts". Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Mic'd-up Derek Carr knew his leg was broken the second he was hit in new devastating footage". For The Win. December 29, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Matt McGloin at QB, Raiders figure to be run-heavy against Broncos". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "McGloin Hurt In Broncos' Rout Of Raiders At Mile High". Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Cook will get 1st start in playoffs for Raiders". SFGate. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "NFL notes: Raiders QB Cook to make first start, in playoffs". stltoday.com. Associated Press. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ Dubow, Josh. "Raiders' Connor Cook to become first rookie QB to start playoff game". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Brock Osweiler and Texans Knock the Battered Raiders Out of the Playoffs". New York Times. January 7, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.