Antonio Pierce became the interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in the middle of the 2023 season after Josh McDaniels was fired when it became clear he had lost the locker room. Players rallied around Pierce, finished 5-4 under his guidance, and Mark Davis made the decision to retain him on a full-time basis for the 2024 season. However, the 2024 campaign hasn't been kind to Pierce and the Raiders. The Silver and Black attack is 4-12 and calls for Pierce to be ousted have been loud and frequent.
However, while a recent two-game winning streak may have cost the Las Vegas Raiders the chance for the 1st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it may end up being the key stretch that allows Antonio Pierce to keep his job for the 2025 season.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay: Mike Vrabel is considered one of the top candidates for the #Jets, who continue their search; #Raiders owner Mark Davis is undecided on the future of Antonio Pierce; The #Browns fired OC Ken Dorsey this morning. pic.twitter.com/rWASygxE3N
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2025
“I know a lot of folks think it's a foregone conclusion they're gonna make a coaching change, but those folks are on the outside. On the inside of the building, it sounds like there is a lot of optimism that Antonio Pierce will continue as the head coach of the Raiders,” NFL insider Mike Garofolo reported. “[Mark] Davis understands that there's not a lot of talent and there is a lot of youth on this roster.”
Garofolo also noted that Mark Davis challenged Pierce to not worry about draft position, but instead to win games down the stretch of the season… an interesting management decree coming from an owner who recognizes there is a lack of talent on his roster. But hey, as Snoop Dogg once rapped, “Al Davis said it best, Just Win, Baby, Win!”