The Las Vegas Raiders have made the decision to part ways with head coach Antonio Pierce after just one season at the helm, the team announced on Tuesday. Pierce, 46, led the Raiders to a 4-13 record during his tenure as the full-time head coach. Prior to his official appointment, Pierce had stepped in as the interim head coach for the team during the 2023 season following the dismissal of Josh McDaniels, achieving a 5-4 record.
In a statement released by the team, they expressed their gratitude for Pierce’s contributions, stating, “We appreciate Antonio’s leadership, first as an interim head coach and this past season as the head coach. 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.”
Having been promoted to the head coaching position in January of last year, Pierce had previously served as the Raiders’ linebackers coach starting in 2022. A former NFL linebacker himself, Pierce enjoyed a nine-year playing career and secured a Super Bowl victory with the New York Giants following the 2007 season. Transitioning to coaching, he commenced his career at Long Beach Polytechnic in southern California before joining Arizona State’s coaching staff from 2018 to 2021 in various roles, including linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. Pierce’s tenure at Arizona State came to an end in 2022 as he resigned amid an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations.
The Raiders, who have struggled to find consistent success since their relocation to Las Vegas from Oakland, made their lone playoff appearance in the turbulent 2021 season. This tumultuous season saw then-head coach Jon Gruden resign midseason following the public revelation of racist, misogynistic, and homophobic emails he had written, which were uncovered as part of an investigation into the Washington Football Team’s workplace culture.
With Pierce’s departure, the Raiders are set to embark on yet another coaching search, marking their fifth head coach since the commencement of the 2021 season. As they look ahead to the upcoming NFL draft, the Raiders are slated to make the No. 6 overall pick, aiming to bolster their roster and strive for a return to playoff contention in the competitive league.
