HENDERSON, Nev.– The Las Vegas Raiders are working to formally eliminate the interim tag from Antonio Pierce’s title and make him the company’s full-time coach, sources informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.
Pierce, 45, was promoted from linebackers coach in the wake of the Halloween night shooting of Josh McDaniels. He revitalized a then-dour Raiders locker space with post-victory stogie events and his accepting of the group’s culture gathered assistance from gamers and alumni alike. Las Vegas went 5-4 to end the season.
His players-first mindset originates from playing linebacker in the NFL for 9 seasons with Washington (2001-04) and the New York City Giants (2005-09), making Pro Bowl honors in 2006. He was likewise an essential member of the Giants group that beat the then-undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII
Still, after completing 8-9, the Raiders have 2 winning records and 2 playoff looks– in 2016 and 2021– considering that appearing in Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003.
Pierce is the seventh coach (routine and interim) Raiders owner Mark Davis has actually employed considering that presuming control of the franchise upon his daddy Al Davis’ death in 2011, together with Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia and McDaniels.
Taking a more detailed look, Raiders press reporter Paul Gutierrez responds to 4 huge concerns about the hiring of Pierce, including what follows. National press reporter Jeremy Fowler meals on what he’s becoming aware of the hire, and draft expert Matt Miller spins it forward to the draft. Lastly, front workplace expert Mike Tannenbaum grades the hire.
Why did the Raiders choose to stick to Pierce rather of chasing after a larger outdoors name?
Gutierrez: Mark Davis has actually decreased the rock star coach roadway before with the similarity Gruden and McDaniels. Neither went particularly well, for varying factors.
Pierce comprehends the mystique, culture and heritage of the Raiders, having actually matured in Compton, California, a fan of the Silver and Black when the group played in the close-by Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the 1980s and early ’90s. He played that card well, thinking about how essential being a Raider is to Davis.
Pierce and interim basic supervisor Champ Kelly provided a masterclass as such, welcoming numerous Hall of Popularity Raiders gamers into the postgame locker space to assist the present class commemorate the season-ending win over the Broncos. From Marcus Allen to Mike Haynes to Charles Woodson to Richard Seymour to Jim Otto to Ted Hendricks to two-time Super Bowl champ Jim Plunkett, with Gold Jackets Tom Flores and Fred Biletnikoff searching approvingly from the high-end suites.
However, as Pierce himself stated, he hoped he had actually “made” the gig, rather that “was worthy of” it. Semantics? Possibly, however it holds true. Pierce altered the culture and the ambiance and won video games. Going 5-4 and missing out on the playoffs may not appear like that huge an offer, however Pierce had the Raiders in every video game– even the one they lost by 2 TDs to the Kansas City Chiefs, they led, 14-0– and they had feel-good wins versus the New York City Giants (30-6), Los Angeles Chargers (63-21), Chiefs (20-14) and Denver Broncos (27-14) while going 3-1 versus the AFC West.
And the defense, for the very first time in eons, was the Raiders’ calling card. Speak about appreciating and honoring Silver and Blackdom’s mystique, culture and heritage.
How huge of an impact did the Raiders gamers have on Pierce’s hiring?
Gutierrez: I’ll address your concern with among my own– how can All-Pros Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs and three-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby, who presumed regarding insinuate on his podcast he ‘d request for a trade if Pierce was not maintained, perhaps be disregarded?
Possibly Davis gained from 2 years earlier, when gamers, consisting of Crosby, stymied honestly for Bisaccia to no obtain, as Davis desired an X’s and O’s coach in McDaniels instead of a locker space leader like Bisaccia. It wasn’t that Davis was sorry for not working with Bisaccia; it was more he wanted he had actually taken much better temperature level of the locker space.
While the gamers’ dreams may not have actually been what put Pierce over the edge, they were most surely a larger piece of the decision-making pie this time around. From Adams stating his “vote” was for Pierce which he would “go through a wall for that male,” to Jacobs, a pending totally free representative, stating Pierce returning would be an element on if he picked to re-sign with Las Vegas to, yes, Crosby’s flex– which may be analyzed as a veiled danger that possibly jeopardizes Pierce. All were elements.
Will the hiring of Pierce affect their approaching choice at GM?
Gutierrez: The NFL has actually constantly taken a backwards method to coaches having more state than their expected superiors and, in many cases, having a say in employing their supposed managers. Pierce being employed before a GM would recommend an extension of that pattern. Even with current history.
Think About: when Gruden resigned in October 2021 in the wake of his e-mail scandal and Bisaccia rose to interim coach, Davis informed ESPN.com then-GM Mike Mayock would have a 51/49 portion benefit in workers matters over the coach. Davis preserved that position for GM Dave Ziegler over McDaniels and appeared at first more thrilled about the possibility of Kelly as interim GM than he was fascinated by Pierce as interim coach.
Have those sensations and functions reversed? It is difficult to state due to the fact that Kelly and Pierce do appear linked at the hip. However, so were Ziegler and McDaniels, and you saw how that exercised
Pierce established a bond with novice QB Aidan O’Connell Does this hire suggest O’Connell is the Raiders’ QB1 getting in 2024?
Gutierrez: Just if the Raiders not do anything in the present QB market or in the draft. So, in a word … no. Hear me out, though: Yes, Pierce called O’Connell his “BFF” in one early presser. And sure, it appeared as though Pierce sunk his candidateship by sticking to the unpredictable and stable fourth-rounder in a 3-0 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings However O’Connell did rebound with 8 goal passes and no interceptions in Las Vegas’ last 4 video games.
Still, Pierce, who benched high-priced-but-oft-injured veterinarian Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of O’Connell– no doubt with Davis’ true blessing– would not presume regarding state O’Connell would be the guy moving forward. Rather, Pierce stated he had actually done enough to be in “factor to consider” to be the starter moving forward.
The Raiders, who are most likely to part methods with Garoppolo and his costly agreement, are still searching for a franchise quarterback, a year after carrying on from nine-year starter Derek Carr Kelly was with the Bears when they prepared Justin Fields, who is still on his novice agreement. Fields, a prospective trade prospect, will be under monetary control the next 2 seasons.
The Raiders have the No. 13 general choice in April’s draft, however the leading 3 QB potential customers– USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels— all figure to be long preceded their choice. The next wave of QBs– Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy— may be passed then, too.
Preparing a quarterback most likely needs a trade up, however at what expense? And keep this in mind: While there is a connection in between Kelly and Fields, there is a bond in between Pierce and Daniels. Pierce hired Daniels to his very first school, Arizona State, and the Heisman Prize winner screamed Pierce out in his approval speech Daniels remained in the Las Vegas locker space to support Pierce, sharing the exact same stogie smoke-filled air, with the Raiders legends after the season ending. Stay tuned.
What are you hearing around the league on the hire?
Fowler: Some market sources thought the Raiders had interest in Jim Harbaugh, however what was uncertain was his level of interest because task, and how far Vegas would have wanted to go, and in a manner that might run the risk of pushing away Pierce.
2 significant concerns: Did Pierce utilize the utilize of locker-room assistance to protect a long-lasting agreement? And who will be his offending organizer? Likewise, while the Raiders were concentrated on getting an offer for Pierce done, Las Vegas now needs to attend to the basic supervisor position. Interim GM Champ Kelly is strongly in the mix.
If the Raiders choose to go the draft path to attend to QB, who could be there at No. 13 for Pierce?
Miller: It’s not likely among the leading 3 quarterbacks– USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels— would exist at No. 13, however Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy would be a fascinating alternative. The Wolverines’ system concentrated on running the ball, however McCarthy is an effective passer (88.2 QBR), has terrific movement and reveals adequate arm strength to open the field both vertically and horizontally.
At 20-years old, there is time and space for McCarthy to establish, however his strength, management and motion qualities are why scouts like him in Round 1. His dual-threat capability and preparedness to play immediately would be appealing to Pierce if he opts for a quarterback in Round 1. The Raiders scored the least points in the AFC West, and they require a quarterback who can develop on his own to keep up. As a previous linebacker, Pierce understands the tension that movement under center places on a defense, so McCarthy at No. 13 is an appealing fit.
How would you grade this hire?
Tannenbaum: B. Pierce made this task thanks to the Raiders’ remarkable play after he took control of as interim coach in early November. Beating the Chiefs in Kansas City on Christmas Day was considerable in revealing what he can do as the leader of this group.
I dealt with Dan Campbell in Miami in 2015 for 12 video games, and this circumstance advises me of when he took control of the Dolphins down the stretch, as the group went beyond expectations. Pierce has terrific management qualities, however getting some veteran coaches on his personnel will be very important to having success.