The Oakland Raiders’ 2019 season is officially over. Although they kept their playoff hopes alive until the bitter end, the Week 17 loss to the Denver Broncos was the last time the Silver and Black will be representing Oakland after finishing 7-9.
Very soon, the Raiders will officially become the Las Vegas Raiders. While it certainly will take some getting used to, the move to Allegiant Stadium is coming in August.
Hopefully, Las Vegas brings more success than the Bay Area has in recent years. The team posted just a 160-224 record in their last 24 years, so things can only improve in Las Vegas.
Of course, leaving a historical city such as Oakland will be tough and the Raiders players know it. Maxx Crosby, one of the newest Raiders and fan-favorites, regrets not being able to win one more for Oakland, via Scott Blair of NBC Sports:
“Anytime there’s change, it’s exciting,” defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “Las Vegas is going to be awesome. The stadium looks awesome, but it does suck that we’re never going to play in Oakland again. We tried to go out and win one for them today, but it just didn’t work out.”
The new stadium should be one of the nicest stadiums in the NFL. With a sleek modern design and presumably modern amenities, Allegiant Stadium will finally see some professional football in 2020.
Going back, Crosby really hits the nail on the head. It does suck that the team is leaving Oakland, especially this year. While 2019 had some great highlights, it also had lows, like dropping the final game in the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. That is in the past now though as the team looks forward to the future in their new home.
Breakout tight end Darren Waller realizes that at the end of the day, it was the Oakland fans that made the city so special for the Raiders:
“I appreciate their resilience and loyalty of our fans with all the drama about where we’ll be and what’s been going on with us,” tight end Darren Waller said. “The move is probably tugging at their heartstrings a little bit, but they have stuck with us through the wins and the losses. We appreciate the undying support.”
Undoubtedly that undying support will follow the team as they travel to Las Vegas. The Raiders are excellent at creating lifelong fans, no matter what city they play in.
Although the Raiders’ Las Vegas debut is still a ways away, there is some exciting news surrounding the move. The team’s home and away slate was recently revealed and features some exciting matchups. Although it is bittersweet, 2020 should make for a very exhilarating year for the Raiders.
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