The Las Vegas Raiders fired disgraced former head coach Josh McDaniels during the 2023 NFL season after just over a year at the helm. They promoted linebackers coach Antonio Pierce to serve as the interim, and he and the team were able to catch lightning in a bottle.
While the team still missed the playoffs that year, Pierce was able to rally the troops enough and gain so much player support that owner Mark Davis was essentially forced to give him the full-time gig. In 2024, Pierce proved he was not up to the task, winning just four games.
Pierce was fired, along with general manager Tom Telesco, at the end of the season and replaced by Pete Carroll. As the coaching cycle went on, Pierce did not even land as much as an interview to be a coordinator with another NFL team.
Former Raiders head coach lands non-NFL job after stint in Las Vegas
With training camps underway for every team in the league, coaching staffs are largely set in stone. As a result, Pierce had to pivot away from the NFL, instead taking a job with Athletes In Control as a Chief Strategy Adviser.
It is unclear exactly what the company does or what Pierce's role is within it, but it should be noted that the company recently hired Jayden Daniels as a brand ambassador. The Washington Commanders quarterback has a close relationship with Pierce dating back to Arizona State.
Ultimately, Pierce was promoted too quickly in the NFL ranks, which caused him to fail with the Raiders in 2024. He was a strong leader of men and an incredible motivator, but he did not demonstrate that he had the know-how to run a successful professional football team.
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If anyone in Raider Nation had quarrels about parting ways with Pierce, then the lack of interest from other NFL franchises after his firing should tell the story. It is likely that Pierce will land on his feet, perhaps as early as next season, but he was not cut out for what the team was building in Las Vegas.
Now, the team has a proven winner in Pete Carroll, as well as a rising star in general manager John Spytek. While these two still have to prove themselves with the Raiders, expectations are much higher than they were a season ago.
Raider Nation will always have a soft spot for Antonio Pierce, as he provided a glimmer of hope after one of the darkest periods for the Silver and Black in recent memory. Not everything was his fault in Las Vegas, but at least he's found something to do as he seeks a return to the NFL.