Raiders Antonio Pierce head coach remove…
Henderson, Nevada On Friday, Antonio Pierce was formally named the Las Vegas Raiders’ new full-time head coach.
After general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels were fired on Halloween night, Raiders owner Mark Davis promoted Pierce from linebackers coach to temporary coach. Pierce, along with interim general manager Champ Kelly, drastically altered the locker room culture.
When Pierce took over and led the Raiders to a 5-4 finish, Davis told ESPN he was “really excited” about the work Pierce performed. The Raiders defeated the Denver Broncos 27-14 to cap the season.
In addition to having a winning record at the end, Pierce led the Raiders to a 3-1 AFC West record, a franchise-high 63 points against the Los Angeles Chargers, and just their second-ever victory at Arrowhead Stadium since 2013.
In a post on X, the Raiders struck off the word “interim” to announce Pierce as their new head coach.
Though Pierce had never had a head coaching position above the high school level, Davis told ESPN that when Pierce was initially elevated, he didn’t particularly want him to “coach,” more like “lead” and “delegate.”
After Pierce took over, the Raiders played a more disciplined, stingier, more concentrated game.
Think about this: from Week 9 to the end of the season, the Raiders led the NFL in fewest points allowed per game (16.0), defensive touchdowns (4), and fewest penalties (31) under Pierce. They also had the 10th-highest takeaways (14), fourth-best point differential (62) and tied for third-most sacks (30).
“[Pierce] understands the Raiders’ culture, and that’s important to me,” Davis added at the time.
Growing up outside of Los Angeles in Compton, California
However, since participating in Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003, the Raiders have only had two winning records and two postseason visits (after the 2016 and 2021 seasons), after finishing 8-9 overall.
Pierce joins Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia, and McDaniels as the eighth head coach (both regular and temporary) that Davis has appointed since taking over the team following the death of his Hall of Fame father Al Davis in 2011.
Kelly’s situation is currently unknown, however he is a strong contender to take over as general manager again.
During his final season news conference, 45-year-old Pierce was questioned regarding the position of head coach.
“I will never use the word ‘deserve,'” he declared. I’m hoping I’ve earned it.
Raheem Morris was appointed head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday.
Morris last worked as Atlanta’s interim head coach three years ago, following Dan Quinn’s firing after the team’s 0–5 start. Morris’s record as Atlanta’s interim coach was 4-7, and Arthur Smith was brought in to take over. Smith was let go by the Falcons following three 7–10 seasons.
Morris is a respected member of the league and hails from the Los Angeles Rams, where he was the defensive coordinator for three great seasons. Both sides of the ball have been trained by him.
He was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, making him the first head coach that owner Arthur Blank has ever appointed with prior NFL head coaching experience. A youthful visage
