Raiders Fire Head Coach Antonio Pierce After Disappointing 4-13 Season
After a dismal 4-13 campaign, the Las Vegas Raiders have parted ways with head coach Antonio Pierce. The decision, announced by Raiders owner Mark Davis on Monday, comes as no surprise given the team’s poor performance and Pierce’s inability to turn things around in his second season at the helm.
A Tumultuous Season for the Raiders
The Raiders’ 2023 season was a rollercoaster ride from the start. The team began the year with a promising 2-0 record, but quickly fell apart, losing their next 11 games. A brief two-game winning streak in December offered a glimmer of hope, but the Raiders ultimately ended the season with a crushing home loss to their division rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pierce’s tenure as head coach was marked by a lack of discipline and accountability. The Raiders were penalized a league-high 125 times for 1,085 yards during the season. They also committed 32 turnovers, the most in the NFL.
Pierce’s Coaching Record
Pierce’s overall record as Raiders head coach is 8-25, including a 4-13 mark this season. He took over the reins from Jon Gruden in 2022, who resigned amidst a scandal involving offensive emails.
Pierce, a former linebacker, had no prior head coaching experience before joining the Raiders. He spent several years as an assistant coach with the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers before being promoted to defensive coordinator with the Raiders in 2021.
The Search for a New Head Coach
The Raiders will now begin the search for a new head coach. Several potential candidates have already been linked to the position, including former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and current Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Davis said he is looking for a coach who can “bring discipline, accountability, and a winning mindset to the Raiders.” He added that he wants to hire someone who is “a leader of men and a teacher of football.”
What’s Next for the Raiders?
The Raiders have a lot of work to do in the offseason if they want to improve upon their dismal 2023 campaign. The team has a number of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and they need to find a way to improve their overall discipline.
The Raiders also need to find a quarterback. Derek Carr, who has been the team’s starter for the past nine seasons, is reportedly on the trade block. The Raiders have several options at quarterback, including Jarrett Stidham, who started the final four games of the season, and former first-round pick Marcus Mariota.
The Raiders have a tough road ahead of them, but they have the resources and the potential to be a competitive team. The hiring of a new head coach will be the first step in the process of turning things around.