Dennis Allen responds to Terrelle Pryor’s agent comments

The Oakland Raiders have announced Terrelle Pryor as the starter for week 17 against the Denver Broncos.  There have been a ton of fans and media confused and critical of the handling of Pryor over the past two seasons at quarterback.  Last year, using Carson Palmer down the stretch when the team was out of contention and this year using Matt McGloin down the stretch when the season was over; both seasons ending with Pryor playing week 17.

Pryor’s agent, Jerome Stanley came out and blasted Dennis Allen for the handling of Pryor and came out and said the following:

"“I think they’re putting him in hopes that he fails,” agent Jerome Stanley told CSN Bay Area on Monday. “I think they’re putting him in hopes that he has a bad game, so (Allen) can then justify the Matt McGloin situation.“You have to understand the coach is putting him in, he doesn’t want him to look good,” Stanley added. “And you can write that. … If he looks good this week, it makes the past five weeks look like a bad decision.”"

It is possible that Stanley meant every word he said, but there is a sense that he is so over-the-top and hyperbolic to make both fans and the media look at the situation and look at it with more scrutiny.  The Raiders need a franchise quarterback, so if Pryor can be that guy, they are not going to complain how it happens, but there is definitely a question as to why Pryor has not been on the field more during the past two years.

The idea that Allen would hope Pryor would fail is a stretch even if Pryor proves to be a revelation for the team.  That might come with tough questions, but Allen would probably welcome them if he did not need to worry about that position on the team any longer.  If Allen is retained after the season, it will be interesting to see where the relationship between the player and the team goes from here.