Raiders GM toys with fans, media over denied infamous coin-toss revelation

For most NFL teams, the 2024 NFL Draft was about bolstering their offense. A total of 14 offensive players were selected before a single defensive prospect was selecting, the longest stretch of offensive picks in any NFL Draft. With teams opting for offensive players, Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, one of the top defensive prospects, began to tumble down the draft.

The Detroit Lions, who were surprised that Arnold was still available, traded up to select the cornerback with the No. 24 overall pick. The Alabama product believed that he would've been picked at No. 13 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. On "The Next Round" podcast, Arnold said that a Raiders coach informed him that the decision to select Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was determined by a coin flip.

Raiders deny deciding their 2024 NFL Draft pick with a coin toss

During an appearance on "NFL Total Access" with Mike Yam, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco denied the coin flip allegations with a light joke.

"Typically, I use a magic 8-ball and not a coin," Telesco joked, h/t NFL.com. "But no, part of that draft process, and we do this really two weeks, we'll go through all the different scenarios of what could happen in the first round and how we would react to it and discuss it."

Bowers said he was "shocked" when the Raiders selected him. He met with the Raiders at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he didn't believe they were interested in selecting him. The Raiders entered the 2024 NFL Draft with hopes of selecting a quarterback, but Telesco says Bowers was a part of their contingency plan.

"When you're picking [No.] 13, there aren't that many scenarios to go through," Telesco said. "So obviously we had gone through the scenario of players being gone and Brock Bowers is there, and we discussed in a small group — if that happened like, 'Hey, we're gonna take Brock.' So we had gone through the process. On draft day, certainly in the first round and a little bit in the second round, there's not a whole lot of discussion when you're on the clock because you've already gone through the scenario of what could play out and what you're going to do. So that's what happened with Brock."

The Raiders were battling with two other quarterback-needy teams: the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. The Vikings held the No. 11 overall pick and the Broncos held the No. 12 overall pick — both immediately ahead of the Raiders.

Although the three teams were expected to enter a bidding war to trade up for a quarterback, Denver head coach Sean Payton said the three teams entered a peace treaty once they expected all three quarterback prospects to fall to them. Then, the Atlanta Falcons shocked everyone by selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., leaving just Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Oregon's Bo Nix on the board. The Vikings and Broncos scooped up the two remaining quarterbacks, leaving the Raiders with no viable quarterback option.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce echoed Telesco's words and denied speaking with Arnold, according to Ryan Clark.

"No call, and no coin flip," Pierce told Clark. "As soon as the last two QBs went off the board, we said Bowers all the way."

If the call between Arnold and a Raiders coach did take place, the coin toss was likely a figure of speech. Regardless, missing out on a quarterback is a tough way for Telesco and Pierce to begin their first full season as general manager and head coach, but Bowers should help the Raiders improve their No. 23 ranked scoring offense from 2023. Bowers was among the most talented offensive weapons in this raft class and will join an offensive unit that features wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, along with 2023 second-round tight end Michael Mayer.