Antonio Pierce reveals No. 1 question he's had for new Raiders

During the Las Vegas Raiders media day, Antonio Pierce showed everyone why he was chosen for the job, he confidently discussed his philosophy and the culture being established throughout the entire organization.

The Tone was Set Last Season

Antonio Pierce (AP), became the Las Vegas Raiders' interim head coach on October 31st of the previous season, and the team saw a nearly instantaneous change. The Raiders had a defense that allowed a league-low 16.0 points per game and committed the fewest penalties in the league from the time Pierce took over. Pierce led the team through a turbulent season, and despite that, were in the running for a postseason berth right up until the last week.

"The Raider Way"

On January 19, Pierce was officially appointed head coach, giving him the opportunity to build on the momentum of the previous campaign while also establishing his own unique culture. The Raiders haven't had a distinct identity as a team in recent years, but AP has changed that. In an interview with the new Raiders head coach during the team's media day, AP discussed the identity and culture he was implementing.

“The guys we drafted, the free agents, understand what the Raider way is," Pierce said. "The No. 1 conversation I had with players and coaches was, 'Do you understand the culture we are setting?'" 

The message is crystal clear: AP ensures that everyone involved is aware of the standard and expectations by setting the tone from the top down.

Star Players Have Bought In

Another thing that coach Pierce stressed was how important it is for the star players to buy in.

 “When your best players believe, it’s easy for everybody else to fall in line," Pierce said. "You deliver the message, empower the coaches, coordinators and get the players to own it.”

The Raiders have good news: Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, the team's two star defensive linemen, appear to have fully embraced the philosophy of their new head coach and are exactly the kind of players Pierce is looking for to help guide this team.

“The two gentlemen in the building before the coaches are Wilkins and Crosby,” Pierce said.

Going right along with Pierce’s philosophy of how crucial it is for the best players to believe in what you’re doing.

All throughout this offseason, "energy" has been mentioned frequently in relation to the Raiders. Every group on the team, including the coaching staff, players, and front office, remarks on the team's overall energy. It seems that up to this point, Pierce has done an exceptional job of establishing a culture, and getting his players and coaches to believe in his plan.