Las Vegas Raiders, Who Go Through A Lot Of Coaches, Make Antonio Pierce Another One-And-Done Firing
Add Antonio Pierce to the one-and-done club.
The Las Vegas Raiders have fired their head coach after his first full season in which he guided the team to a 4-13 record.
Raiders owner Mark Davis, in consultation with multiple advisors including minority owner Tom Brady, decided Tuesday morning to relieve Pierce of his duties.
No Explanation From Mark Davis
Davis will retain general manager Tom Telesco, per a source. And the owner will begin another coaching search – an exercise he's very familiar with. Brady will be part of that search, advising Davis.
The Raiders will eventually be hiring their sixth head coach in the 13 years Davis has been the principal owner. One of those coaches Davis had to replace was Jon Gruden, who resigned amid an email scandal in 2021.
Gruden has been trying to return to the league and the general sentiment leaguewide about the possibilty is more accepting than it has been previously. Could Gruden reunite with Davis, who initially didn't want his coach gone?
That would be so Raiders.
The Raiders released a statement from Davis about fired Pierce but it didn't outline why the coach was fired. One assumes it was simply a matter of failing to win or even show improvement and development throughout the season.
The Raiders lost 10 consecutive at one point in 2024 – losing every game from Oct. 6 until Dec. 22.
LAS VEGAS - Head coach Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders runs off the field after the team's 34-20 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on January 5, 2025. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Six NFL Head Coach Openings
Davis at the December league meeting told reporters he needed to see improvement from his team to finish out the season. The Raiders played hard for Pierce through the final weeks of the season and even finished 2-3 in their final five games.
Players also generally advocated on behalf of their coach.
But the firing is not a surprise.
This firing means there are now six head coach vacancies in the NFL. They are:
- The New York Jets.
- Chicago Bears.
- New Orleans Saints.
- New England Patriots.
- Jacksonville Jaguars.
- The Raiders.
The Dallas Cowboys are now the last team left with an obvious decision to make on their head coach. Incumbent Mike McCarthy becomes a free agent next week and there is a possibility he will be signed to an extension.
But he is expected to be in demand if he doesn't get re-signed. The Chicago Bears have requested permission to interview him already. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said McCarthy is a fine coach but has given no indication which way he was leaning on giving him a new deal.
LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas Raiders owner and managing general partner and Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis (L) and Tom Brady attend Game One of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs finals between the Aces and the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 8, 2023. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Raiders Opening Not Awesome
The Raiders opening is not necessarily the most attractive. In fact, it's not in the top three.
New England is the most attractive job opening now. The Patriots have a promising quarterback in Drake Maye on the roster on a rookie contract and will have the most salary cap space in the NFL this offseason.
The Jaguars have a promising quarterback on the roster in Trevor Lawrence.
The Bears have a promising quarterback on the roster in Caleb Williams, and he's also on his rookie contract.
The Raiders?
They lack a starting quarterback and although they hold the No. 6 overall selection of the April NFL draft, that obviously isn't high enough to pick Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, who are expected to be the first two quarterbacks selected.
It would take a trade-up for the Raiders to land one of those two.
There is the chance the Raiders go the free agency route and the reason that's possible is because, like the Patriots, they have tons of salary cap space set aside for 2025. That amount is estimated in the $107 million range.
Tuesday has been a rough day around the NFL. The Tennessee Titans fired general manager Ran Carthon.
Pierce joins Jerod Mayo as the second coach fired after one full season.