Could Antonio Pierce Be the Raiders’ Long-Term Solution?

Have the Raiders found their long-term leader?

The franchise has cycled through 10 full-time head coaches over the last 22 seasons, plus extended interim stints by Tony Sparano, Rich Bisaccia and now Antonio Pierce.

The Raiders have been anything but a model of stability over the last two decades, and that trend continued when owner Mark Davis made the decision to fire coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler on Halloween night.

While the moves represented even more turnover for a franchise that badly needs continuity, the hope is that they won’t have to look elsewhere to find the solution. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported last week that Pierce, who won his debut as Raiders interim coach, will receive serious consideration for the full-time role if he impresses down the stretch. With Las Vegas off to a promising start under his tutelage, that possibility could quickly gain steam.

MORE: What led the Raiders to fire Josh McDaniels

How did Pierce end up in this situation? Here’s a closer look at his coaching background after a solid NFL career as a linebacker.

Antonio Pierce coaching timeline

Long Beach Poly High School (Head coach)

Seasons coached: 2014-17

Pierce enjoyed a nine-year career in the NFL, winning Super Bowl 42 with the Giants, but he didn’t jump right into coaching when his playing days were done after the 2009 season. Instead, he waited until 2014 to become the head coach at Long Beach Poly High School in Long Beach, Calif.

Success was fleeting for Pierce, as Long Beach went 11-2 in his first season but missed the playoffs the following season for the first time in 36 years. In his final two seasons, Long Beach reached the playoffs but made quick exits.

Nevertheless, Pierce was able to work his way into a key collegiate job by the end of the 2017 season.

Arizona State (Def. coordinator, recruiting coordinator)

Seasons coached: 2018-21

Arizona State’s surprising decision to hire Herm Edwards as its head coach after the 2017 season led to a few interesting personnel hires, including Pierce and eventually former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

Pierce first latched on as Arizona State’s linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator, becoming co-defensive coordinator alongside Lewis in 2020. Pierce also took on the role of associate head coach and served as the Sun Devils’ lone defensive coordinator in 2021.

It didn’t all end smoothly for Pierce at Arizona State. He resigned in early 2022 amid a recruiting investigation into the Sun Devils program, and Edwards would be fired early in the 2022 season.

On the field, however, Arizona State never had a losing season during Pierce’s four years on the staff, and the team allowed only 20.8 points per game during his only season as the sole defensive coordinator.

MORE: Closer look at Josh McDaniels’ massive contract

Las Vegas Raiders (LB coach, interim head coach)

Seasons coached: 2022-present

Pierce landed on his feet less than two weeks after resigning at Arizona State, which might have made the decision easier. McDaniels hired him as the Raiders’ linebackers coach, giving Pierce his first NFL coaching gig.

Mark Davis bypassed the Raiders’ offensive and defensive coordinators for the team’s interim head coaching role when Jon Gruden resigned in 2021, and he did so again after McDaniels’ firing, elevating Pierce from linebackers coach to interim head coach.

According to Glazer, Pierce’s contrasting mindset compared to McDaniels made him stand out. Glazer reported that Pierce fired up the team during a meeting days before McDaniels’ firing, when players are said to have “unloaded” on the head coach. While Pierce didn’t target McDaniels, it became clear at that point that players responded better to Pierce’s mentality.

Pierce’s stint got off to an excellent start when the Raiders defeated the Giants 30-6 in his debut, but bigger tests are ahead for Las Vegas in what will be an uphill climb back to relevance in the AFC playoff picture.

2023-11-12 13:10:03
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