The Las Vegas Raiders have had a carousel of coaches over the past five seasons, as Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia, Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce, and Pete Carroll have all led the franchise. None has had a particularly long leash, and the organization is now in the market for its sixth coach in as many seasons after firing Carroll, after just one season, the day after the 2025 season concluded.
Pierce also had a short leash after taking over as the interim head coach to close the 2023 season. He led the team to a 5-4 record and had the interim tag removed from his title, however, he was far less successful in his first full season as head coach, as Las Vegas finished just 4-13.
In Tom Brady's first offseason as a Raiders minority owner, he put his stamp on the franchise by moving on from Pierce. The nine-year NFL veteran, who helped the New York Giants win Super Bowl XLII, is set to have his second head coaching interview since being fired by Las Vegas.
Ex-Raiders HC Antonio Pierce scheduled to interview for Falcons gig
Pierce was not exactly great in his first opportunity as a head coach, however, there were several issues out of his control. Most notably, the franchise did not give him the quarterback of his choice or re-sign Josh Jacobs despite his desire to retain the star running back.
The Raiders opted not to allow Pierce to grow in his role, instead bringing in Carroll with the hopes that he would bring stability to the organization, which, ultimately, was not the case. While the former linebacker did not have any interviews during last season's hiring cycle, he interviewed with his former team last week.
Pierce is now set to interview for the Atlanta Falcons' coaching vacancy, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
"The #Falcons will interview Antonio Pierce for their head-coaching job later this week, sources say. The former #Raiders HC, who interviewed for the #Giants’ job last week, will meet in person with his former CBS colleague Matt Ryan and Atlanta’s group handling the search."
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The one-time Pro Bowler does not appear to be one of the hot commodities of this year's hiring cycle, however, the fact that he is landing interviews bodes well for his future in a potential return to a coaching role. His familiarity with Ryan, who the Falcons named the president of football last week, along with how Las Vegas' defense improved after he took over in 2023, likely contributed to him landing the interview.
In eight games with McDaniels as head coach, the unit allowed 23.4 points per game, a number that dipped to just 16 ppg over the nine games during which Pierce was leading the team. The coaching market has been moving very slowly this offseason, which may have also played a part in the former Raiders head coach landing another interview.
Pierce has likely learned from his first opportunity as a head coach, a role he was thrust into after only serving as a linebackers coach at the NFL level. If he is hired and can succeed in the role, it would be bittersweet for Raiders Nation, as he grew up a fan of the franchise and clearly wanted to stick around and be given the chance to grow in his role.