The Las Vegas Raiders promoted Antonio Pierce to full-time head coach last offseason after strong support from the locker room. However, one year later, it seems the team might be preparing for yet another coaching search in the upcoming offseason.
The Raiders initially aimed to surround Pierce with a seasoned coaching staff to bolster his leadership. Before taking over as interim head coach midway through last season, Pierce’s coaching experience in the NFL was limited to his role as a linebackers coach (2023). Prior to that, he served as associate head coach at Arizona State, where he was linked to recruiting violations that resulted in heavy sanctions for the program.
Pierce, 46, hired Luke Getsy as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator for 2024. However, after only a few months, Getsy and several other coaches were let go, yet the offense showed little improvement. As a result, Las Vegas is on track for one of its worst seasons in history.
On a recent episode of the Scoop City podcast, NFL reporter Dianna Russini of The Athletic revealed that many around the league believe Pierce’s time as head coach is likely coming to an end, with his firing expected after the season.
The Raiders are expected to keep general manager Tom Telesco, who has a strong relationship with owner Mark Davis. Additionally, the team will likely consult co-owner Tom Brady, who recently purchased a minority stake in the franchise, for advice on the upcoming coaching search.
As for potential coaching candidates, Brady’s involvement could give experienced head coaches like Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores a chance at the position. The team could also consider hiring an offensive-minded coach to work alongside a rookie quarterback.
