After moving on from Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders created another opening on the sideline and in the front office owner Mark Davis is now tasked with filling. The team’s interim options have impressed in their respective audition periods, but they are not assured of the permanent gig as of now. 
[RELATED: Champ Kelly Gaining Momentum For Full-Time GM Position]
Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, veterans such as Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs and Maxx Crosby are likely to show their support for interim head coach Antonio Pierce. That would come as little surprise given the latter’s success after taking over. While the Raiders are out of postseason contention, Pierce has strengthened his case to have the interim tag removed based on the team’s record and improved play.
Breer adds, however, that Davis “may have a big swing in him” with respect to his next coaching hire. When the organization was in a similar position, Jon Gruden replacement Rich Bisaccia was not retained on a full-time basis. Davis now regrets bringing in McDaniels instead of keeping Bisaccia in place, and the 2024 offseason will provide him the opportunity to take a different path by rewarding Pierce with the full-time position. Other candidates with more pedigree will be available in the upcoming hiring cycle, though.
Pierce’s NFL coaching career began just last season when he was hired as the Raiders’ linebackers coach. The 45-year-old is thus lacking in experience compared to a candidate such as Jim Harbaugh. The latter has again been linked to an NFL return following the end of the college season, and the Raiders have been floated as a potential landing spot. Harbaugh – who recently hired an agent – had a successful run with the 49ers before his current stint at Michigan, which has produced three consecutive CFP playoff appearances and a trip to this year’s national title game.
Bill Belichick represents another veteran staffer whose addition would certainly constitute a notable hiring. His standing with the Patriots has remained uncertain throughout the season, and it would come as little surprise at this point if he were to find himself coaching elsewhere in 2024. Despite the recent firings of Gruden and McDaniels, finances are not expected to be an issue for Davis as he considers his net hire.
Harbaugh and Belichick are two of the veteran staffers who may be soon the market soon, but others with a lengthier resume than Pierce will be options as well. For that reason, Breer notes he may be considered the Raiders’ backup plan at this point if a hiring of the preferred candidate does not work out. Still, Pierce has generally impressed in his interim capacity, so his future will be worth watching closely.
Pierce is the right choice. I think that Harbaugh would’ve been the target to go after had Pierce not done such a great job, but AP has earned the job on a full time basis.
Personally, I would love to see Jim get the job, but as Michael Lombardi mentioned in his excellent GM Shuffle pod, it’s the dynamic with the current in-situ GM that has to be considered.
I have nothing against Pierce, he has certainly turned the franchise and players around since he has taken over, but I’m still unsure that he is the right man to lead the team next year and beyond.
If Jim wasn’t a possibility, then I would have AP over Bill and the other likely candidates, but Jim has been a success everywhere and he has Raider links.
To me, JH is the man to get.
Another point, that may happen IF, repeat IF Jim goes to the Chargers
Then we would face JH, Payton and Reid six times a season!!!! 🙁
If Davis doesn’t hire Pierce, it would be a monumentally stupid move. Like Dan Snyder or David Tepper level of poor decision making.
Nothing against pierce but if the raiders didn’t give Bisaccia the job 2 years ago who was way qualified what makes anybody think pierce will get it??
Bisaccia getting the team to the playoffs was an outlier. If you look at the metrics, the Raiders were extremely lucky that season. AP has taken a defense that has been awful for a long time and turned it into a top unit. We still need a QB of the future and to revamp the offensive line but overall I think this team will be a perennial contender in 2-3 seasons if they keep AP and Champ in their respective roles.
Not sure how you quantify “luck” in metrics. That team had a quality offense but wasn’t a SB team for sure. I wouldn’t call the Raiders D a “top unit” either since AP took over. They haven’t played against any quality offenses. But I wonder how Josh McDaniels is doing sitting home, watching a 2nd year LB coach win more games than he did.
They beat Patrick Mahomes…
Mahomes with no RB and bad WRs. Without Pacheco they are in trouble.
Their point differential was -65 in 2021 and their record was 10-7 which squeaked them into the playoffs. For comparison, their point differential last season was better at -23 but they finished 6-11 and were not a playoff team. To have a -65 point differential and make the playoffs is extremely lucky but hey, who needs evidence to throw out an argument lol.
Since AP took over (week 9) have the #1 scoring defense and rank 3rd in the NFL by giving up only 15.5 points per game. But go ahead, tell me your uneducated opinion again lol.
Sure, when you play bad offenses any defense will look good. NYG, NYJ, and a LAC and MINN teams with a new QBs and their top WRs out. But go ahead, tell me your uneducated opinion again lol
I’m not talking about “looking good” I’m talking about the statistical improvement our traditionally awful defense has made since AP took over. Because I am a fan I also watch and can see what “looks good” and what doesn’t. Also, you seem to be cherry picking matchups in an attempt to further explain your misguided opinion. They also held the Dolphins to 20 points. They are currently the #1 offense in the league in terms of total offense, so that in itself was a nice showing for a defense that has been so porous for such a long time. The Chiefs argument is also flawed because we had just lost to them a few weeks prior and they are still a top 10 offense. You strike me as someone that wants to be right more than someone who looks at the whole picture so I’ll just leave you with that information and call it a day.
I am looking at the whole picture. Using “metrics” is pointless when you don’t look at the injuries/roster changes to teams they’re playing. MINN had Dobbs, who’s now benched. CHARGERS had Stick making his first start and the team literally quit on the HC that game. So that 63 points they scored is a big outlier. KC isn’t a good offense without Pacheco. LV had a whopping 200 yds offense with about 50 passing yards the whole game. KC turned the ball over that game which is why they lost. Using all that to say they’re a “#3 D” is insane. These metrics you’re using are flawed. BTW that 2021 team had a great offense but bad defense, which explains the point differential. But they still won the games to get in. That makes them a playoff team. There isn’t a whole lot of luck in football.
They had a great offense in 2021? Bro please just stop you obviously aren’t checking into anything and are relying on limited recollections of that team. I am a Raiders fan so I watch every game and I also know how to look up stats. I recommend you do the same before blindly throwing out opinions on things you don’t know much about.
And yes I’m looking at metrics because like I said, our defense has made awful backup players look like HOF talent so I’m not concerned about who we’re playing defense against I’m just really happy to see us playing it well.
Between 1978-2014 only 3 teams made the playoffs with a worse point differential and none of them made it past the divisional round. In fact only 2 teams with a negative differential made it past the divisional round and they were the 2011 NY Giants who had only a -6 point differential and won the Super Bowl and the 1978 Houston Oilers who lost in the AFC championship game with a -15 point differential. So to blow a hole through your argument, it is extremely lucky to make the playoffs with a negative point differential, and to be successful in the playoffs with that distinction is even more rare.
And I never said anything good about our offense, it is still pitiful. It’s not even middle of the pack like we were in 2021 when you describe the offense as “great”
I am pointing out the fact that our team has greatly improved since AP took over and that is due to how much our defensive unit has improved.
Right now the defense is playing better than the offense. I agree. I was hoping McDaniel could get the team on track, but he was a disater.
But in 2021 they won 10 games. Bad teams don’t win 10 games with luck. They scored over 30 pts 6 times, scored in the 20s 2 times. Got blown out 2x by the Chiefs by big margins. As for your metrics, I say they’re skewed because of who they’ve played against. Charhers literally on their HC that game and Minn was playing backup players. They aren’t a top 3 defense in the league today. Metrics do not tell the whole story. My metrics are the box scores. They say alot.
At least you abandoned the 2021 season not being lucky argument, I’ll give you credit for that. And for what it’s worth our defense has been so bad in recent history, even teams with backup QB’s and missing players have looked like All-Pro caliber players. The fact of the matter is that AP has drastically affected this team in a good way and it would be a shame for him not to get the gig on a full time basis.
The D has actually been top 10 since AP took over.
As far as “luck” Rich B had a far better team than AP. That team would have made the playoff with Gruden at the helm. Rich B is a great coordinator but there’s a reason he’s never been a HC and he is in his 60s. AP will get an HC job someday, whether in LV or somewhere else.
Yes it has and despite the opponent or what personnel they’ve had on the field, it is refreshing to see. The 2021 team definitely had a better performing offense but it was still middle of the pack. As far as the luck statement, it was meant to shine light on the fact that we got to the playoffs with a -63 point differential, which is pretty rare. If we could’ve mixed that offense with our current defense we would not only be a playoff team this season, but a dangerous one at that.
One of Al’s sayings was ‘commitment to excellence.’. Mark’s is ‘commitment to stupidity.’. Dude is a bum as an owner.
Guy has been in the game his whole life is incompetent at every single thing he’s responsible for; hiring coaches & FO staff, talent evaluation, writing contracts, trades… Yes I know the GM handles many of those duties, but Mark signed off on bringing in Jimmy G and other high priced FA’s or big time trades.
I checked on your calumny. Indeed, the Raiders have been pretty awful since 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVII participants, Rich Gannon QB/league MVP). Games won 123. Games lost 215. That’s a winning percentage of 36%. Terrible. Maybe the Browns are worse (although the last few seasons might have pulled them above that mark.
The nfl making the raiders interview out side minority candidates before they can hire Pierce is comical…..
Not comical at all. It gives minority candidates an opportunity to get their face in front of NFL owners and their management teams which can be beneficial to them in the long run.
It’s 100% comical he is a minority the idea is to get more minorities hired right then hire him smh why do you have to drag 2 people through that are juts being dragged in to satisfy a rule. The rules are in place to get people hired well he is there he has had successes hire him without a dog and pony show
Plus its called ” Due diligence”…see if there are other ” bright minds” available for future reference.
Not a raiders fan at all but man Pierce deserves the job. Very impressed with what hes gotten out of them
My head says Harbaugh. My heart says Pierce.
This! The team is going to struggle next season one way or the other unless they significantly overhaul their offensive line. I feel like we are damned if we do, and damned if we don’t. If we stick with AP and likely struggle, people will be calling out Mark for not hiring Harbaugh. On the other hand, if we hired Harbaugh and it takes him a season or two to get the team dialed in, they haters will say we should’ve kept AP. Harbaugh is definitely the more experienced coach and probably a safer bet to have success. In a perfect world we could shift AP to DC under Harbaugh and let him come into his own as a coordinator before another team gives him his shot.