QBREES9

The Raiders informed Tom Cable Tuesday night that they will not pick up the option in his contract.

With a 31-10 victory over the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Cable led the Raiders to an 8-8 record this season, ending a run of seven consecutive losing seasons and completing a perfect 6-0 mark in the division.

But Cable was 17-27 overall since taking over as coach in the middle of the 2008 season for Lane Kiffin.

"The Raiders express gratitude to Tom Cable for his contributions in his four seasons as an assistant and as Head Coach of the Silver and Black," the Raiders said in a statement released Tuesday night.



It's the first time the Raiders posted a perfect record in their division since their Super Bowl season of 1976 and the first time since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that a team won all its division games and didn't make the playoffs.

"We certainly got this thing back on its feet, and we're very proud of that," Cable said Monday. "You can't call us losers anymore, at least from this point forward. That's a huge accomplishment for this team, particularly for the guys who have been around here for a number of years, and the organization itself. It gives everybody, the city of Oakland, everybody in football, something to look forward to as we move forward."

The Raiders interviewed candidates after the 2008 season before deciding to stick with Cable. After his interim season, Cable received a new contract that expires in two weeks, meaning the Raiders had to decide whether to exercise the two-year option on his deal or allow him to leave and notify him by Jan. 17 whether or not it planned to exercise the options for 2011 and '12 at $2.5 million per season.

Davis will begin the search for the team's seventh head coach since the 2001 season. With 44 games as coach, Cable has lasted longer than anyone in that position since Jon Gruden spent four years as head coach before leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pro Bowl punter Shane Lechler, who has played for six coaches since joining the Raiders in 2000, said it would be a shame if Cable is not back.

"I seriously believe that it would set us back again," Lechler said Monday. "I can't go through another head coach. I just can't. I've been through too many of them. And they all come in here and say the same thing, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to turn this.' No, you're not. I'd rather be with the guy that's here right now, and we'll roll with him."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Crusader

I think this was a bad move on their part. They hav been improving steadily with cable and finally start to hav the playes to actually compete then you ax the guy?

SapperSaint

This is a dumb move on Al's part....but what is surprising about that. Tom coached a great year this season and wish him the best in the future.

niteadept

That's why nobody wants to be under Al Davis. They finally have something to be proud of and Al jumps in to self destruct the team. Good job Al.

spkb25

i think davis has lost his mind

neugey

I think you got problems when even the punter is feeling alienated.

ClintSaints

Al Davis needs to be committed. He is absolutely nuts. Since the Raiders are actually improving under Cable, they need to keep him until he gives them a real justification for letting him go. What they really need is a top-notch quarterback. Whether or not Jason Campbell is the answer for them remains to be seen.

subguy

Yes this is a bad move after this year. Last year they should have made a move if they were going to.

QBREES9

Tom Cable won the west but lost his job ???? Hello Al

Choupique

Maybe Cable will punch Al in the head now.

I'd pay to see that.