Look: Clemson HC Dabo Swinney in Raiders gear on Las Vegas sideline is…interesting

Since Raiders hired Mike Mayock as their GM three years ago, the team has been stocking up on Clemson ball players. Now they could be looking at a new head coach come the offseason. So, the sight of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney in Raiders gear on the sideline in Las Vegas has raised some eyebrows.

Swinney has been the head coach for Clemson since 2008. In those 14 years, he’s taken the Tigers to a Bowl game every season, with four appearances in the College Football National Championship Game, winning it twice over the past five seasons.

The Raiders currently have three players on the roster — DE Clelin Ferrell, CB Trayvon Mullen, WR Hunter Renfrow, and G John Simpson. All were drafted by the team. They also spent a third round pick on LB Tanner Muse who was cut this offseason.

So, yeah, they have a thing for Clemson players. Could they be trying to woo their coach to Las Vegas as well?

Just as important, could he be interested in becoming the Raiders head coach? If him donning Raiders gear on the sideline during a game isn’t enough to make you wonder, his constant facetiming with Derek Carr certainly would.

“Dabo Swinney literally has FaceTimed me or texted me more than like my coaches that I played with in college. I promise,” Carr said on the Harvester sports podcast last month. “This man FaceTimed me the other day, and it wasn’t even anything about Hunter. He’s like, ‘Hey man, keep it going. Man, so proud of you. I’m so fired up.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, you’re getting me fired up.’”

Definitely an interesting conversation. One the Raiders are clearly leaning into.