Once the 2023 NFL season had officially come to an end for the Las Vegas Raiders, following the team’s win over the division-rival Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale, the front office was on the clock in terms of making a decision on the head coaching position.
After taking over for Josh McDaniels on November 1, interim head coach Antonio Pierce quickly won over the players and helped turn the tide for this struggling Raiders team that had been forced to play the “Patriots Way,” which was unsuccessful.
The end result was Pierce leading the team to a 5-4 record as interim head coach and convincing a lot of his players that he was the right man for the job in Las Vegas, as he checked a lot of boxes and had a knack for inspiring the team.
Although there was a longer wait than expected, the Raiders officially removed the interim tag on Pierce recently and then hired Tom Telesco, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers, to be the team’s new general manager.
On Wednesday, Pierce and Telesco were officially introduced as head coach and general manager, with the team’s new head coach getting things started in a way that helped him win over his players and the fans of the storied franchise.
“We always end all of our victories a certain way in the locker room, so we got a packed house here. I want to see how everybody’s vocal chords work, so say it with me,” Pierce said, as shared by Ari Meirov on Twitter. “You ready? RAAAAIIIDDDERRRRS!”
New #Raiders HC Antonio Pierce started his press conference in a way only he could.
“RAAAAIIIDDDERRRRS” pic.twitter.com/e9OlQ1qjGS
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 24, 2024
With Pierce and Telesco now in the fold in Las Vegas, the team can move forward by filling out the coaching staff and then focusing on the 2024 NFL Draft and NFL free agency, where the team will likely have big plans to upgrade the roster.
One of the major questions for Telesco will be what the team will do to address the quarterback position and if Aidan O’Connell has done enough to earn the starting job moving forward.
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