Despite he’s leaving Las Vegas Raiders Today ‘disappointment will be at Antonio Pierce…
The Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels in November after a 3-5 start to the season.
Pierce assumed the position following this and went 5-4 and steered the Raiders to an 8-9 finish that was capped off by a 24-14 Week 18 victory over the Denver Broncos.
While this doesn’t send the Raiders to the postseason or even let them finish with a winning record, it did show what the team was capable of and that Las Vegas could be close to taking a step toward contention.
The team operated much better under Pierce, with credit being thrown his way for the team’s competitiveness and drive.
They had inconsistent play down the stretch from rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell, but a strong Week 18 performance that saw him throw for 244 yards and two touchdowns shows that he made some major strides.
Pierce’s turnaround presents an opportunity for Raiders owner Mark Davis to correct a previous mistake.
After then-head coach Jon Gruden was fired midseason in 2021, Rich Bisaccia took over as interim and went 7-5 and led the team to the postseason.
Davis elected to hire McDaniels instead and the Raiders went from a promising team to one marred with dysfunction very quickly.
Pierce presents a redemption opportunity for Davis as he could secure some stability with the franchise and see if the positive momentum from this season can truly make a difference in 2024.
Fans on social media pleaded with Davis to give Pierce a chance at being the head coach next season.
