The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t had much luck with their recent head coaching hires as both Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels were let go long before their contracts were over.
Gruden resigned after controversial emails were leaked, while McDaniels was fired after one-and-half disappointing regular seasons.
However, Raiders owner Mark Davis made the popular decision to hire Antonio Pierce to be the team’s new head coach.
Pierce was named the interim head coach following McDaniels’ firing and he had plenty of support from both the locker room and fan base.
The former linebacker proved he had a knack for connecting with and teaching players, and now gets an opportunity to coach the team he grew up rooting for.
Pierce’s former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin reacted to the news of his hiring via Adam Schefter of ESPN.
“I could not be prouder of Antonio Pierce being named head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I’m excited for him, his family, and the franchise. This is the team he grew up watching, and his belief in himself and in the players is why he is there,” Coughlin said.
Former Giants’ HC Tom Coughlin on the Raiders hiring Antonio Pierce: “I could not be prouder of Antonio Pierce being named head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I’m excited for him, his family, and the franchise. This is the team he grew up watching, and his belief in himself and…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2024
Coughlin coached Pierce for several years in New York and the two won a Super Bowl championship together against the New England Patriots.
As a player, Pierce made the Pro Bowl one time under Coughlin and that experience will surely help him navigate the 2024 NFL season as a first-time head coach.
Las Vegas has a lot of work to do to get back to playoff contention, but hiring Pierce was a step in the right direction given what he was able to accomplish this past season.
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