The Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniel on Nov. 1, 2023, and then made the surprising decision to make Antonio Pierce the interim coach. He did enough to keep the job coming into this season. However, the results this year should prompt a search for new Raiders coaching candidates to replace him.
Pierce went 5-4 as the interim coach last year, including wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. The on-field success and buy-in from the Raiders locker room led to All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby reportedly telling the organization he would demand a trade if Pierce didn’t remain the Raiders coach.
- Antonio Pierce coaching record: 7-11 overall as the Las Vegas Raiders coach
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One year later, Pierce fired the offensive coordinator he hired just months ago and there are NFL rumors that Crosby and other Raiders players have issues with Pierce’s leadership style. With the team at the bottom of the NFL standings and Tom Brady now heavily involved in the organization, it’s time to evaluate Raiders coaching candidates for next season.
Bill Belichick, former New England Patriots head coach
It should come as no surprise that Bill Belichick will make the list of Raiders coaching candidates for 2025. This is the same organization that tried to recreate “The Patriot Way” without Belichick and failed miserably. However, Raiders owner Mark Davis would absolutely see the future Hall of Fame coach as the figure who could bring stability, respect and culture to a franchise that desperately needs it.
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For one thing, Belichick would help this Raiders defense. Las Vegas currently ranks bottom 10 in opponents’ third-down conversion rate and has the seventh-highest opponents’ Success Rate allowed this season. Meanwhile, in Belichick’s last season with the New England Patriots, they allowed the seventh-lowest conversion rate on third downs (36.29 percent) and the seventh-lowest Success Rate (41 percent). Plus, he would be overseeing a defense with an All-Pro talent in Crosby, a Pro Bowl defensive tackle in Christian Wilkins and some other lesser pieces to work with.
The Raiders absolutely need the culture change and accountability that Belichick would bring, the question is if Brady would sign off on the move. Belichick’s appearance at the roast suggests the relationship has improved somewhat and at the very least, Brady knows Belichick can bring qualities Las Vegas needs.
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Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans head coach
While Belichick is one of the most obvious Raiders coaching candidates, Mike Vrabel seems far more likely to be hired. He can bring many of the same qualities that Davis would be looking for in another attempt to replicate the “Patriot Way”, but unlike Josh McDaniels, Vrabel has already proven he can be successful as an NFL head coach.
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Taking over the Tennessee Titans in 2018, he immediately delivered a winning season and then followed it up with a trip to the AFC Championship Game the following year. Tennessee then delivered consecutive seasons with double-digit wins before the roster starter deteriorated and Vrabel finished with a 13-21 record in his final two seasons at the helm.
Vrabel would bring a level of accountability, discipline and maturity to the Raiders organization while also helping them take a step forward defensively. He’s also well-liked by players, so Las Vegas wouldn’t be at risk of alienating its locker room with another bad hire. Plus, he has a good relationship with Brady.
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Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator
Most know what happened during the Raiders coaching search this past offseason for an offensive play-caller. Las Vegas was ready to hire Kliff Kingsbury as its offensive coordinator and then he withdrew before the official hiring over a contract dispute. While Kingsbury and his agent might not have liked Davis’s unwillingness to give the offensive coordinator a three-year deal, Brady is now involved and a head-coaching contract would be very different.
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Kingsbury might also not be in a situation where he can be especially picky about a second chance at becoming a head coach. The Arizona Cardinals have been better without him and his stint as a head coach in college football didn’t go particularly well. So, Las Vegas might be one of the few teams willing to gamble on him.
The work he’s done this season with Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders offense is also undeniable. Keep in mind, expectations coming into the season were low with Kingsbury viewed as a poor fit for Daniels with the situation made even worse by an awful Commanders offensive line. Yet, entering Week 11, the Commanders’ offense ranks fourth in scoring (29 PPG) and total yards per game (377.0), leads the NFL in Rush EPA (0.055) and has the second-highest Offensive DVOA (19.6 percent).
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Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
The history of dysfunction within the Raiders organization leads most to believe this team doesn’t have a realistic shot at one of the league’s top head-coaching candidates (Ben Johnson) and that’s probably accurate. However, the circumstances might align perfectly for Brian Flores to be the next Raiders coach.
For one thing, the Raiders might not care all that much about Flores’ ongoing lawsuit against the NFL. After all, Davis’s father sued the NFL multiple times when he was running the team. Plus, Brady and Belichick were both in New England from 2008-2018, so there’s a working relationship there.
Flores’ work with the Vikings’ defense speaks for itself. Two years ago, Minnesota had one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Flores was brought in and after this unit made significant strides in 2023, it’s now one of the league’s best defenses this season. Brady could help Flores pick out an offensive play-caller, with Flores focused on the Raiders’ defense and Brady’s OC hire running the offense. It could be exactly the kind of situation Deion Sanders would want quarterback Shedeur Sanders to walk into.