The Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce on Tuesday after just one full season at the helm of the team.
This is another change at the position for the Raiders in recent years.
“We appreciate Antonio’s leadership, first as interim head coach and, last season, as head coach,” the team said in a statement. Antonio grew up a Raiders fan and his roots run deep. We are grateful for his ability to reignite what it means to be a Raiders player throughout the organization. We wish Antonio and his family only the best for the future. »
Pierce took over as interim coach midway through the 2023 season and he finished that campaign with a 5-4 record. He had received strong support from the players for him to get the full-time job.
But the Raiders, who began the 2024 season with a 2-2 record, suffered a 10-game losing streak. They dealt with a number of injuries, including those to defensive linemen Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, and they navigated through receiver Davante Adams’ discontent to finish the campaign with a 4-13 record.
Pierce was the Raiders’ fourth full-time head coach in the past decade.
As for what’s next for the Raiders, Mike Vrabel has been mentioned as a possible candidate. He and the team’s minority owner, Tom Brady, were teammates on the New England Patriots, but Vrabel is expected to draw plenty of attention from other clubs as well.
According to Adam Schefter, Brady will participate in the interview process to find a new coach and will support the owner.
The Raiders have other pressing issues besides head coaching. They are still looking for a franchise quarter.
But just making the playoffs would be a big step for whichever head coach gets the job. The Raiders’ last playoff appearance was three years ago.
Raiders general manager Tom Telesco will need to fill a number of holes to give the new head coach a reasonable chance to compete, including adding a running back and receiver, and depth on defense.
