Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis reportedly does not see replacement head coach Antonio Pierce as just a placeholder for a new head coach in 2024.
Earlier this week, the shocking news came down that both head coach Josh McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler were removed from their positions with the Raiders. The New England Patriots alums unfortunately could not prove the “Patriot Way” worked over a season and a half run that resulted in a 9-16 record.
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To fill McDaniels’ position, the organization elevated linebackers coach Antonio Pierce to head coach.
On Sunday morning, FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer revealed an interesting moment that occurred during a tumultuous team meeting where Pierce defended the coaching staff but apparently rubbed McDaniels the wrong way with an example he used.
“Josh McDaniels actually had Antonio Pierce get up and speak on behalf of him and the coaches,” said Glazer. “Pierce got up there he said, ‘Look guys, we have to have our own culture.’ And he brought up the old Giants team that beat the Patriots — Josh McDaniels’ team in the Super Bowl in the 2007 season — and said ‘no matter who we played we thought we could beat them.'”
“We had a game plan and we believed in it. And that’s not here. We have to believe at the Raiders we can beat anybody.”
Antonio Pierce will have a chance to keep Las Vegas Raiders head coach position for 2024
Allegedly, the speech was well-received except by McDaniels, which led the former head coach to chastize Pierce for his negative Patriots comments. That reportedly led to greater division in the building, but word of Pierce’s dedication to the organization got back to owner Mark Davis and likely helped him land the top job when McDaniels was fired.
Glazer also revealed that due to how well-respected Pierce is with the current roster, he will not just serve as a placeholder head coach until the organization finds a new leader in the offseason.
“By the way, this is not just a throwaway for Antonio Pierce, where he’s just going to coach out the rest of the season. He has a shot to keep this job. That’s Mark Davis’ mindset,” Glazer reported.
Antonio Pierce’s first game as Raiders head coach goes down on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET on FOX when they face, oddly enough, the New York Giants.