On Tuesday, the Oakland Raiders officially named Tony Sparano as their interim head coach. Former head coach Dennis Allen was fired after the Raiders started the season with a 0-4 record. The squad lost 38-14 against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. He has a career 29-31 head coaching record along with an 0-1 postseason record.
Beginning his NFL career in 1999, Sparano was fired after three stints with the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sparano was hired by new Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in 2003, rising from tight end coach to assistant head coach in his five seasons in Dallas. Sparano was the offensive play-caller for Dallas in 2006.
After the Dolphins went 1-15, they fired Cam Cameron and new executive vice president Parcells hired Sparano to a four-yea contract worth $2,500,000 per year. This happened in January of 2008.
In 2009 and 2010 each, Sparano led the Dolphins to a 7-9 record and third place in the AFC East. Sparano's Dolphins went 1-7 at home in 2010. The Dolphins were the subject of much gossip at the end of the 2010 season when team owner Stephen Ross flew across the country with General Manager Jeff Ireland to interview then Stanford University coach Jim Harbaugh.
In 2011, the Dolphins gave Sparano a two-year extension worth a total of $4,500,000. However, after a Week 14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he was fired and assistant coach Todd Bowles finished the season. He was fired about 11 months after the extension.
Sparano was hired as the new offensive coordinator for the New York Jets on January 11, 2012, signing a three-year deal worth $500,000. After they continued to struggle, he was fired a year later.
In January of 2013, Sparano was hired to the dual roles of assistant head coach and offensive line coach by the Raiders.
After an 0-4 start to the 2014 season, the Raiders promoted Sparano to interim head coach on September 30, 2014 after firing head coach Allen.
Sparano was reportedly Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie's first choice to succeed Allen, though team owner Mark Davis may have favored senior assistant Al Saunders.