Raiders Fire an Assistant Coach

Raider special teams coach Pete Rodriguez, a Mike Shanahan appointee whose unit gave up a number of costly touchdown returns, has been fired, team sources said Saturday.

As with Raider policy, no announcement was made and a team official refused to confirm or deny it.

Rodriguez joined the Raiders in 1988, after having served with Shanahan at Western Illinois and Florida.

Last season, Rodriguez’s kickoff and punt units allowed three touchdown returns, including one by the Chargers’ Anthony Miller and another by the Giants’ Dave Meggett, which turned two pivotal games.

Unlike last season, no great Raider turnover is expected. Only one other Shanahan appointee, offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, remains.

Gibbs is well regarded, and unlike most assistants, had a multiyear contract with one more season on it.

Gibbs talked privately of leaving after the firing of Shanahan, his close friend and the man who brought him here from Denver as assistant head coach. However, a source says Gibbs is still on the staff.