Marcel Reece is forever a Raider. “You never really leave being a Raider,” he says.
The former four-time Pro Bowl fullback for the then-Oakland Raiders has been close to the organization for nearly his entire life.
After his playing career, he worked in the front office for the now Las Vegas Raiders. His relationship with Al Davis and his son, Mark, goes back decades. For Reece, it started in his youth.
“My history with the Raiders goes back to growing up and being a kid in Inglewood, California, and really being aligned with the brand and the culture and what being a Raider really is at its core,” Reece said while speaking to Heavy.com via Casino.org to analyze casino bonuses.
“The resiliency in the hood,” Reece added, “we loved and embraced everything about the Raiders.”
Reece resigned from his executive position with the Raiders in 2023 and has since got into broadcasting and consulting for franchises and universities. But he remains close to the Raiders and Mark Davis and provides certain insight on where things stand for a team that holds a lowly 2-11 record and currently owns the rights to the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Reece expressed the need for head coach Pete Carroll to win now and how a quarterback competition would be healthy for the team and the team should be monitoring Indiana University standout Fernando Mendoza closely.
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 31: (L-R) Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marcel Reece of the Las Vegas Raiders, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, sportscaster Jim Gray and Raiders owner and managing general partner and Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis watch players warm up during halftime of a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 31, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Pete Carroll Needs to Win Now and Finish Season Strong
The Raiders and Carroll fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after just 11 games into his first season with Las Vegas. The Raiders’ offense is among the worst in the league. The coaching change came just weeks after the Raiders fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon.
Now, all eyes are on Carroll and whether Mark Davis retains his services. For Reece, he knows that Carroll has to win now and finish the season on a high note.
“I think Pete made a quick decision. The organization made a quick decision on Chip,” Reece said. “And if you feel that strongly about it, you should make that decision and it should be as soon as necessary because you have to start the process of change relatively quickly.
“When you have a defensive star like Maxx Crosby on the football field, you want to make sure you can maximize his prime. And in order to maximize that, you have to start winning games. The Raiders are gonna have to start winning games pretty soon here and Mark Davis loves to win. He was raised by the man who coined, ‘Just win, baby!”
“I believe there will be some changes. There has to be some changes because what’s happening now hasn’t been working.”
The Raiders defense has been OK this season. They’re ranked in the middle of the pack. With leaders Crosby, Devin White and Jeremy Chinn, they have a foundation and are maybe one big move away from being considered an elite defense.
“I would start building this team up on the defensive side of the ball,” Reece said. “If you want to see and appreciate real football, you keep your eyes glued on 98 in the silver and black.”
QB Competition Will Bring Out Greatness
Offensively, the Raiders have inconsistent quarterback play, lost receiver depth to a trade and have a rookie starting at running back.
Geno Smith has thrown for 16 touchdowns but 14 interceptions this season. He’s been ruled out for Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kenny Pickett will start.
“(Smith’s) been struggling this year with his voice and playing on the field, which happens,” Reece said. “I think you need to create a quarterback competition. Bring someone in there that can push (Smith) and also someone (Smith) can push.
“Competition is healthy. Competition brings greatness out of people. I believe there has to be a quarterback competition. I don’t know who that guy is right now, whether it is someone in the draft or free agency but there has to be a quarterback competition.”
Fernando Mendoza is Lone Standout in 2026 Draft
Reece works as a college football analyst for the Big 10 Network. He believes the 2026 draft class, in which the Raiders could hold the first pick, is a weaker class. But the Raiders need to be looking at the Indiana quarterback that has taken the country by storm.
“This particular draft is a tough draft. You’ll have to do a ton of evaluating because when you get to the top of the draft you don’t have those players right now that are popping off the page. If I had to choose one, I would say Fernando Mendoza would be a very good pick.”
Mendoza, the overwhelming favorite for the Heisman Trophy, has led the Hoosiers to an undefeated 13-0 season and Big Ten Championship, defeating Ohio State.
Mark Davis Found Success in WNBA
Reece remains staunch in his support for the Davis family and its history, and he believes the Davis family can bring consistent championship football to Las Vegas.
“When it comes to ‘Pops,’ when it comes to Al Davis, he meant the world to me,” Reece said. “He embraced me. He gave me, a kid from Inglewood, that didn’t know if he was going to have an opportunity, an opportunity. And it wasn’t exclusive to me. He did it to a ton a people, whether it’s Art Shell, or Tom Flores, or Amy Trask, or Hugh Jackson. People who had the ability and were qualified but sometimes overlooked.
“When you talk about Mark Davis, it’s similar in the same sentiment and voice that you speak about Al Davis. A man that is loving, generous, and will give you the shirt off his back. Loves to take care of people. And ultimately wants to have and own the best sports organization in the world.”
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 17: Tera Reece (L) and her husband, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marcel Reece of the Las Vegas Raiders, attend the inaugural IX Awards at Allegiant Stadium on June 17, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The IXs, presented by the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX and recognize women and men who have fought for equality in sports and beyond. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The sky is the limit with the Raiders if Davis’ success in women’s basketball is any indication. Davis owns the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.
“Look at the Las Vegas Aces,” Reece said. “He has elevated them and empowered them, with them being the Aces, them being women, and showcased them in a way that no one has before.”
The Aces, led by MVP A’ja Wilson and head coach Becky Hammon, have won three championships in the last four years.
“Because (Davis) has found extremely smart women, extremely innovative women, very strategic women to run a multi-million dollar organization,” Reece said. It’s because of his thought process and the way he see the world.”
Maybe some of that success in the arena can rub off on the Raiders.
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