NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he still wants to see the Raiders remain in Oakland and the Chargers remain in San Diego, but the owners are unsure whether that will work.
Goodell said today at the owners’ meeting that Chargers owner Dean Spanos may decide this offseason that his team would be better off in Los Angeles, and Raiders owner Mark Davis may decide that his team would be better off in Las Vegas.
“It’s Dean’s option by January 15 to make the determination of whether he thinks he can make it work in San Diego or whether he thinks he can make it work in Los Angeles,” Goodell said. “The Raiders, of course, if they decide they can’t make it work in Oakland, that window is open when their postseason and regular season are over, until February 15.”
Goodell said there’s still plenty of work to do if the teams are going to stay put.
“We have not made great progress in Oakland and San Diego,” Goodell said. “There is not a stadium proposal on the table that we think addresses the long-term issues of the clubs and the communities. So we need to continue to work at it. We feel strongly, we want to keep our teams where they are. Relocations are painful and they’re something to avoid at all costs. But we have to continue to work with those communities. We will.”
Whether that continued work results in the franchises staying -- or in two more franchises moving -- remains to be seen.
