LB Rolando McClain's Raiders career in jeopardy after two-game suspension

MLB Rolando McClain may have seen his last game as a Raider according to GM Reggie McKenzie. (US Presswire)

Starting MLB Rolando McClain was suspended two games Friday for conduct detrimental to the team, and general manager Reggie McKenzie said he may have played his last game for the Raiders.

"It's going to be a possibility because we suspended him," McKenzie said. "Now, it's always what's going to happen afterward. What's his approach afterward? I know what he texted, Facebooked, or all that stuff. What he said, that he's gone. I think I am the one that is going to make that call, not him."

The Raiders took this action a day after coach Dennis Allen said McClain, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 draft, would face "consequences" for his "actions" but declined to offer further details.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported Wednesday that, according to team sources, McClain got into a heated discussion with Allen early in practice and was sent off the field and home.

McClain sparked speculation Wednesday that he would be waived when he wrote on his Facebook page that he was, "Officially no longer an Oakland Raider. Well, technically I am. But I'm mentally done. Just waiting on my papers." He also wrote he wanted to play for "a real team" and he'd "like to be anywhere besides here."

Allen announced the suspension Friday.

"All I’ll say is that I met with Rolando this morning and informed him that I decided to suspend him for two games for conduct detrimental to the team," Allen said after practice. "That’s really all the details I have for you.

"I’m not going to get into any of the specifics of anything that happened that went into the decision. That’s team-related matters. We’re going to keep that within the family. I discussed it with Reggie. At the end of the day this was my decision to make."

Maybe so, but McKenzie said he was involved in the decision and agreed completely. He said McClain was suspended for more than just a single incident.

"His suspension doesn't mean this is the first time," McKenzie said. "We wouldn't suspend him unless it was something major, including all that stuff off the field and on the field and all that. I think a two-game suspension pretty much says it's an issue."

McKenzie said he hasn't talk to McClain since his suspension and feels "absolutely" no need to do so. He said it's up to McClain to demonstrate he deserves to play again.

"It's going to be on him," McKenzie said. "I don't feel the need to approach him. So far, he is not apologetic."

McKenzie was asked whether he believed McClain could come back to the team and be one of the strong leaders he's looking for.

"No. 1, from a leadership standpoint, you cannot do what he did and call yourself a leader," McKenzie said. "Period. Now, what to do with him afterwards, you're talking about post-suspension, we'll let that play out. I don't want to make a decision or announcement at this time. But, you know, it's not good to act and do what he did."

McKenzie declined to assess McClain's play -- or the play of any Raider -- until after the season, but he did say he's "looking forward to seeing Omar Gaither in there and I want to see how he runs the team and plays in the middle. But I've had 11 games to evaluate Rolando up close. We'll finish that up at the end."

Raiders S Mike Mitchell said Gaither, a former Eagle and Panther, has looked "great" in practice.

"It's refreshing, it's awesome to have a veteran step in," Mitchell said. "He communicates great, he's lively at practice. I couldn't think of a guy that's fresh off the street that's doing better than what he's doing for us right now. It's really a breath of fresh air and I love having him."

Raiders DT Tommy Kelly said he talked to McClain on Wednesday and offered him some veteran advice.

"I've been around here and seen players go out and have differences with coaches and it snowballs and it hurts you from going onto the next team," Kelly said. "Even if you do have a disagreement with somebody, don't let it affect your future earnings or your future anything you can do in your career. You don't want nobody to put no bad label on you, say you're a bad guy, so it would be hard to get a job. That's what I wanted him to know.

"He knows how I feel about this. You're always going to have disagreements with the coaches and everything, but in the end they're going to win out. There's no use in really fighting it because they got the power of the pen. They can ruin your career. So I just wanted him to know, don't ruin your career off a small disagreement. ... If I was him, I'd come back and do what they ask me to do and whatever happens after that, just deal with it."