Raiders fire coach Antonio Pierce after he goes 4-13 in lone full season

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Antonio Pierce stood behind a lectern and took questions during an end-of-season news conference, even though his future as the Las Vegas Raiders’ coach remained very much in question.

The organization could have informed Pierce, as it did Tuesday, that his services were no longer required and let him go on his way without speaking with the media.

But Pierce once again was asked to represent the club, and the Raiders sent mixed signals until the announcement a day later that he had been fired after just one season as their full-time coach.

“We appreciate Antonio’s leadership, first as an interim head coach and this past season as the head coach,” the team said in a statement. “Antonio grew up a Raiders fan and his Silver and Black roots run deep. We are grateful for his ability to reignite what it means to be a Raider throughout the entire organization. We wish nothing but the best for Antonio and his family in the future.”

Pierce took over as the interim coach midway through the 2023 season and went 5-4 the rest of the way, and players advocated strongly for him to get the job on a full-time basis.

Not PARSE.LY: Antonio Pierce

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Las Vegas Raiders fire coach Antonio Pierce after team finishes the season 4-13

 

Tuesday’s Transactions

 

But the Raiders, after a 2-2 start this season, went on a 10-game losing streak to put his job in jeopardy. The Raiders dealt with a number of injuries including to defensive linemen Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, navigated the Davante Adams early-season drama that culminated with his trade to the New York Jets, and finished the season 4-13.

Pierce was the fourth full-time Raiders coach — Rich Bisaccia closed out the 2021 season as the interim coach — in the past decade.

Going back to 2001 when Jon Gruden was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Raiders have had 13 head coaches, including interims Bisaccia and Tony Sparano. That’s the most in the NFL over that span, with the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins the closest at 11 apiece.

Pierce was one of three Black coaches hired a year ago, along with Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots and Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons. Mayo was fired Sunday, leaving Morris as the only remaining coach from that trio.

Three coaches have been fired since the end of the season. The Jaguars dismissed Doug Pederson on Monday. Jacksonville has requested to interview eight candidates for the position, including Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

As for where the Raiders turn next, Mike Vrabel has been rumored as a possible candidate. He and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady were teammates with the Patriots, but Vrabel also figures to attract a lot of attention from other clubs with openings, including New England.

Owner Mark Davis has said Brady will have big say in operations, and it’s expected that will include the coaching search.

The team has other pressing issues. Las Vegas needs a franchise quarterback, something Pierce did not have at his disposal. Aidan O’Connell has proven to be a capable starter but hasn’t shown he has the ability or consistency to take a team deep into the playoffs.

But simply making the playoffs would be a major step forward for whoever gets the job. The Raiders’ most recent postseason appearance was three years ago; before that, they had advanced to the playoffs just once since losing in the Super Bowl after the 2002 season.

General manager Tom Telesco will need to fix a number of holes to give the new coach a reasonable chance to compete, most notably at running back and wide receiver. Las Vegas also needs more depth on defense.

Pierce likely will try to remain in the NFL, possibly as a position coach. He had never been a coordinator at this level before getting the Raiders job.

He likely won’t return to college because of an eight-year show-cause penalty handed down in October by the NCAA for violations Pierce committed when he was on Arizona State’s staff from 2018-21.

Pierce talked Monday about what he hoped was his future with the Raiders, saying any talk about his job status was “not inside the building.” He did acknowledge a sit-down was coming with Davis and Telesco.

A coach speaking with reporters and then getting fired isn’t typical, but it’s not completely unheard of, either. Matt Eberflus met with the media earlier this season hours before the Chicago Bears fired him.

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