After the end of last season, Antonio Pierce felt like a breath of fresh air for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Taking over for maligned former head coach Josh McDaniels in Week 8 in 2023, Pierce did a fine job steadying the ship. He amassed a 5-4 record at the helm, including big divisional wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Christmas Day upset of the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders looked invested in Pierce’s success far more than they ever had with McDaniels, and it was no surprise when they named him the full-time head coach on Jan. 19.
Fast forward ten months later, and rumblings about Pierce’s low job security are already surfacing.
“Antonio Pierce is 7-12 in two seasons after the Raiders got blown out by Miami on Sunday,” said The Athletic’s Josh Kendall. “They have bounced back and forth between quarterbacks all year long and never felt like a threat in the AFC West or anywhere else.”
“With new minority owner Tom Brady in the building, it seems unlikely majority owner Mark Davis will stand pat with Pierce as head coach.”
As frustration continues to mount during the Raiders’ six-game losing streak, the team has become more vocal in their concerns. During the bye week, the team met with the Raiders’ coaching staff for an open discussion that Monday.
“Players had issues with the schedule not being efficient,” according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. “There was a lack of organization and “wasting time,” and there was a “lack of discipline and accountability.””
These emerging off-field concerns, coupled with the Raiders’ poor performance on it, are reasons why experts are worried about Pierce’s long-term future with the team. The blame certainly does not entirely fall on Pierce, as the Raiders’ season has been wrought with injuries and unfolding drama from star players, notably former wide receiver Davante Adams. That said, if the team continues to lose games, the Raiders may see no other course of action.
As Kendall noted, the Brady effect looms large over the Raiders, as well. Rumors have already circulated about Brady having some say on what the Raiders will look like in 2025, particularly at quarterback. While it remains to be seen if he will have a similar impact on the coaching decision, Brady has serious connections if the Raiders do decide to move on from Pierce after the season. His former head coach Bill Belichick is likely to return to the head coaching ranks in 2025, and an ex-teammate in former Tennessee Titans head coach and current Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel figures to be one of the leading candidates for a job next season as well.
Despite all of this, it is difficult to envision the Raiders being quick to decide Pierce’s fate. There are still seven games to go in the season and, so long as the Raiders show any sort of improvement, it is likely Pierce remains at the helm. With the third-most cap space behind the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals for next season, according to Over The Cap, as well as a likely high draft pick to bring in a potential franchise quarterback, the Raiders could very well decide to see what Pierce can do with a full roster before making such a drastic change.
Pierce’s seat is certainly not as hot as some of the others around the league. However, if the bad losses continue to pile up, that narrative can change quickly.
