Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby makes the case for why letting Antonio Pierce walk at the end of the season could be another terrible decision by the organization.
For a franchise that has had many weird and wild seasons, the 2023 chapter in the tale of the Las Vegas Raiders was different than most. While they won’t be going to the playoffs this season, the locker room and members of their coaching staff showed a great deal of internal fortitude by salvaging what was set to be a disastrous season.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders – 5 players who can benefit most from a strong Week 18 performance
Yet, no player or coach seemingly made a better accounting of himself than Antonio Pierce. The linebackers coach was thrust into a difficult position by having to take over for Josh McDaniels at the halfway point and had to unify an unhappy locker room. However, he made it seem far easier than many expected.
If the Las Vegas Raiders can win their season finale on Sunday, they will finish the season just a game under .500, and Pierce will be 5-4 as a head coach despite not having an offseason or training camp to build a culture or a respectable quarterback situation.
Las Vegas Raiders star says Antonio Pierce has proven he is a ‘leader of men’
However, due to the high demand to succeed in the NFL, and the fact that Las Vegas has not won a Super Bowl since 1984, the organization is still going to do its due diligence this offseason and Pierce will just be one of many candidates vying for the head coach job.
At the very least, the team’s play and statements publicly have shown how much they like playing for the former New York Giants star. And one player who would regret the team letting him go after the season is star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
“There’s only 32 [NFL] head coaches in the whole world,” Crosby told ESPN Thursday, “so you’ve got to find a leader of men. And when you’ve got one of them in the building currently, I don’t know why you would let them go. I’ve made the playoffs one time in five years. It’s bulls***. And we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do moving forward. I’m sick of change. I’m sick of losing. I just want stability and [expletive] consistency, and that’s all that matters to me. I want to win.”
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator have been named in speculation on potential candidates for the Raiders job in 2024.
