LAS VEGAS, Nev.-- For the third consecutive season, the Las Vegas Raiders have had issues at the quarterback position. Each of those seasons featured a more experienced quarterback playing in front of Aidan O'Connell, with the more experienced player struggling for various reasons.
O'Connell has had his own struggles, as every young quarterback does, especially young quarterbacks who have had three different offensive coordinators each of their three seasons in the National Football League. Still, O'Connell generally rises to the occasion when called upon.
Of course, O'Connell can only do so much, as football is the ultimate team game. The 2025 season has made it more than apparent how much the Raiders' deficiencies along the offensive line can make quarterbacks with more experience than O'Connell look incompetent.
However, O'Connell has done more with less since he joined the Raiders. Las Vegas has plugged high-paid veteran quarterbacks in front of O'Connell on the depth chart, only to get essentially the same results they would have gotten with O'Connell at the helm.
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Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
O'Connell just keeps pushing along, quietly doing what he can to become a better quarterback in the meantime. The Raiders have had three different coaching staffs since O'Connell was drafted. None of them have given O'Connell a legitimate chance to grow by actually playing meaningful minutes.
"I think you often don't realize how much you miss it until it is taken away from you and then it is hard to watch. It is really hard to watch. I had to watch last year, and just not being able to practice is super difficult. So super excited obviously to get back to practice and see what happens," O'Connell said from the locker room on Thursday.
His rookie season was the lone time he was given the opportunity, somewhat by circumstance. He went 5-4 down the stretch and did so with a rookie head coach. O'Connell's record could have been even better had a few small plays went in the Raiders' favor.
Las Vegashas never built around O'Connell or even tried to. The Raiders' front office has failed to put together a quality offensive coaching staff or roster that could help O'Connell--or any other quarterback for that matter-- be successfull on gamedays.
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Aug 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) passes the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
O'Connell has yet to play in the regular season, as he was sidelined with a wrist injury he sustained in the preseason. It is unclear what the Raiders have planned with quarterback Geno Smith, as it seems the chances of him being benched are slim to none.
Still, O'Connell's time in the league has taught him to always be ready, as the Raidersalmost always call on him unexpectedly instead of giving him ample chances to prepare for games as the starting quarterback.
Smith may or may not be benched at some point during the remaining games this season. If he is, O'Connell will once again get the chance to step in and show what he can do.
"He has been super encouraging throughout the entire process," O'Connell said about Smith and their bond. "I have obviously been here meeting with him and trying to help him out, and he has been likewise helpful for me. Encouraged me when I started throwing, talked to me about that and coming back to practice. So yeah, all those things have been super great."
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