The Las Vegas Raiders on Friday announced John Spytek as the organization's new general manager. Spytek comes to the Raiders with two-plus decades of front office experience in the NFL.
Here are five things to know about the Raiders' new general manager.
1. Tampa Bay to Las Vegas
Spytek joins the Silver and Black after spending nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in multiple front office roles. He most recently served as the team's assistant general manager (2023-24) where he worked closely with General Manager Jason Licht on the NFL Draft, key free-agent acquisitions and all other personnel decisions. Spytek also oversaw the day-to-day operations of Tampa Bay's college and pro scouting departments.
The Buccaneers won the NFC South division title in each of Spytek's four seasons working as the team's vice president of player personnel (2021-22) and assistant general manager (2023-24). They join Buffalo and Kansas City as the only NFL teams to win more than two division titles in that span.
Since Spytek joined the organization in 2016, the Bucs have won six playoff games (seventh most in the NFL) and a Super Bowl championship.
2. Scouting Background
Spytek landed a full-time college scouting assistant position with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006, beginning his scouting career. Spytek stayed with the Eagles' scouting department until 2009 and then spent three seasons (2010-12) with the Cleveland Browns as the director of college scouting and three seasons with the Denver Broncos as a southwest area scout (2013) and national scout (2014-15).
In his time with Denver, the Broncos' 37 regular season wins and 42 total wins from 2013-15 were the most in the NFL in that span. The Broncos won the AFC West in all three seasons and made two Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl 50.
3. Draft Success
Spytek has played an integral role in Tampa Bay's recent success in the NFL Draft. While the Bucs have selected Pro Bowl players in the first and second rounds in recent years, it's picks like Chris Godwin, Jordan Whitehead and others in the mid-to-late rounds that have helped the team become a perennial playoff contender of late.
2024: Bucky Irving, a 2024 fourth-round pick, totaled 207 carries for 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns and 47 receptions for 392 yards. He became the first rookie running back to top 1,000 rushing yards since 2022 and his 5.4 yards per rush attempt was the most by a rookie running back drafted in the third round or later since Alvin Kamara (6.0). Irving and Rachaad White, a third-round pick in 2022, were one of two running back duos this season to each record 1,000+ yards from scrimmage (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery).
2023: Outside linebacker YaYa Diaby (third round) led all rookies in tackles for loss (12) and tied for first in fumble recoveries (two) in the 2023 season. Sixth-round cornerback Josh Hayes led all NFL players in special teams tackles (14).
2022: In addition to taking White in the third round, Spytek and the Bucs front office selected tight end Cade Otton in the fourth round and cornerback Zyon McCollum in the fifth round. Otton's 1,446 receiving yards rank fourth among tight ends drafted since 2022. Among corners with 80+ targets in 2024, McCollum had the fifth-lowest completion percentage allowed (58.4%) and ninth-lowest passer rating allowed (85.7).
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4. A Football Life
Spytek comes from an athletic family. His sister, Kate, played volleyball at LSU; his brother, Dave, played football at Michigan; and his father, Fred, played baseball at Wisconsin. For Spytek, football was always his passion and plan.
"I had two goals growing up, play at the University of Michigan, get to the NFL," Spytek said in a recent interview with The Athletic. "For whatever reason, get to the NFL wasn't necessarily as a player."
Spytek grew up in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and earned a scholarship to the University of Michigan. He played linebacker for the Wolverines from 1999-2002 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in general studies and a master's in sports management. He then got his first opportunity to work in the NFL as an operations intern with the Detroit Lions in 2004.
Now two-plus decades into his front office career, Spytek's love for the sport hasn't wavered.
"I have a high passion for football, maybe a love affair," Spytek told The Athletic. "My wife might tell you that it's almost an obsession sometimes. I can't turn my brain off with it. For as long as I can remember, football has been what I've loved to watch, to do, to play. ... I just love it and I just cannot get enough of it. It's never left me. I'm 44 now, I've been in the league for 21 years and my joy around the game is as strong as it's ever been."
5. Impact Off The Field
John and his wife, Kristen, co-founded the National CMV Foundation in 2014 in honor of their daughter, Evelyn Grace, who passed away from CMV (Cytomegalovirus). Spytek has since brought attention to the cause through the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative. He also ran in the New York City Marathon during Tampa Bay's bye week in 2021 to raise money and awareness for the cause.
