Coach Pierce Finally Takes a Moment to Smell the Roses

Antonio Pierce was promoted unexpectedly, leaving him little time to bask in his accomplishment. Now the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach, he can finally enjoy it.

The Las Vegas Raiders unexpectedly fired former Coach Josh McDaniels after the team's dismal performance on Monday Night Football against the Detroit Lions this last season. 

Shortly after, Raiders owner Mark Davis would name the team's linebackers coach, Antonio Pierce, as the team's interim head coach.

After nine games, a vastly improved defense, and the vocal support of the Raiders locker room, Davis decided to make Pierce the team's head coach. 

With the official announcement coming after the season ended instead of the middle of the season like his first promotion, Pierce finally got a moment to take it all in. 

"Yeah, I did probably like I did on October 31st when I got the first phone call," Pierce said. "I walked outside to our practice field and just looked around. It was quiet. It was dark. Looking at the stars, just kind of looking up there and just saying, 'Wow, surreal.' Then, just really taking in the moment.

"As you can tell, I'm enjoying the moment. "Today is about celebration. Today is the first step. You remember what I said when I first got in front of you. I said, my worst day is going to be my first day.

"Well, this is my first day. This is going to be my best day, and I'm going to celebrate it, and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to have fun with it because I know there's going to be some ups and downs.

"There are going to be some days where you want to go hide in a corner and don't want to talk to anybody. That's why, when I first got the call from Mark [Davis], I went outside by myself and looked up to the sky."

Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce finally took time to enjoy his rise up the NFL coaching ranks / Darrell Craig Harris, Raiders Today

Pierce says he is grateful for the support from the players in the locker room. He noted the players' performance on the field was just as much of a show of support as their words off the field.

"Yeah, there's nothing like [having the players' support]," Pierce said. "The reason the National Football League is the greatest sport in America is because of the players. Most of the time, when the players speak, we listen. When the players play, we watch. They did both this year.

"To have that support, being a former player, to understand what it's like, and now the way and the day of the age we're in where your voice matters and you have a lot of platforms to do it. You've just got to be careful. You've got to be careful. You love the support, but never take it too far. 

"But it was humbling. It was a special moment, but it was even more special when you get the phone call from Mr. Davis that you're the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders."

Pierce now gets the opportunity to finish the job he started in October and help the Raiders organization get going back in the right direction.

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