Two years ago, the Las Vegas Raiders found themselves looking for a new head coach after the Jon Gruden debacle. At that time, it was Rich Bisaccia who acted as an in-season hero, taking over coaching duties on an interim basis. Bisaccia led the Raiders to an inspiring 7-5 record and an appearance in the AFC Wild Card playoffs.
Yet, when it came time to look for a permanent head coach, Bisaccia’s work apparently was not impressive enough to hold off Josh McDaniels for the job.
This time around, the Raiders hope to avoid the same mistake during the hiring process, but is Antonio Pierce worthy of the full-time gig?
After all, he’s never been an NFL head coach before, yet the results are hard to argue. Either way, so far leading a 4-3 record, those around the league are taking notice of what Pierce has been able to do with the Raiders. But again, is it enough to secure the full-time position in Las Vegas?
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, team owner Mark Davis is “impressed” with the “physicality and the discipline” the Raiders have shown under Coach Pierce. There’s now a real belief around the NFL that Pierce has put himself in a strong position to become the Raiders head coach in 2024.
After helping defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, Pierce is coming off his biggest win yet. However, the Raiders still need to finish strong against Indianapolis and Denver to solidify Pierce’s candidacy for the full-time job.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders’ Antonio Pierce provides ‘resume’ for keeping job full-time