"The Raiders officially announced Dennis Allen's hiring as head coach Friday, three days after new general manager Reggie McKenzie shook his hand and welcomed him aboard. The former Broncos defensive coordinator will be introduced at a news conference at noon Monday.

Allen is the team's seventh coach in the past 10 seasons, but new owner Mark Davis is giving him a longer rope than his late father, Al, gave the previous coaches. Allen signed a four-year deal, according to a source close to Allen, twice as long as the two-year deals the past five got.

Tom Cable and Hue Jackson were fired after 8-8 records the past two seasons, and more job security is not the only thing Allen will have that they didn't. McKenzie said Allen will be allowed to pick his coaching staff, whereas Al Davis used to select many of the assistant coaches.

The first name on Allen's list was Chiefs defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas, who talked with the Raiders about their defensive coordinator position, a league source said. But Fox Sports reported Friday night that Thomas is no longer in the mix.

Thomas, 68, is a Hall of Fame cornerback who was a defensive coordinator for the Eagles, Packers and Vikings from 1995 to 2001 and was Allen's mentor when both were on the Falcons' staff in 2002-05."