Las Vegas Raiders absolutely cannot let Antonio Pierce get away
By Keith Ricci
Raiders Pierce could be a rising star
I realize we’re working with small sample sizes here, but this is what Mark Davis has when he begins the hiring process for head coach. But, a small sample size is more than what most coordinators who will interview for the job will have.
When Bisaccia departed, it felt like that was his one chance at an NFL head coaching job.
If the Raiders don’t hold onto Pierce, it feels like they’re letting a rising star get away. That he’ll eventually become the head coach of another NFL team and forever be the one that got away.
While we can use Bisaccia as a benchmark for how well Pierce has done in the interim role, Bisaccia isn’t who he has to worry about when it comes to getting the job. It’s the up-and-coming coordinators from other teams that always catch NFL owners’ eyes during these hiring processes.
It’s the Lions offense coordinator Ben Johnson who many think fit that mold when head coach vacancies pop up in a couple weeks.
What does Pierce have that those guys don’t? He has already proven he can lead. He has already proven he can beat division rivals in important end-of-season games. Nobody knows if Ben Johnson, for example, can do either of those things as a head coach.