Coach Antonio Pierce Pens Letter to Raider Nation

The Las Vegas Raiders are turning their attention to the future. Coach Antonio Pierce penned an open letter to arguably one of the best franchises in sports.

The Las Vegas Raiders enter next season with new faces at many key positions as it will be a new era of Raiders football. 

Coach Antonio Pierce made it clear to the Raiders' fan base how much leading the Raiders means to him. 

"What you need to understand is: I’m ALL ABOUT THIS," Pierce said. "This isn’t a coaching job for me. This is my dream. This is my life. This is dead serious. Raider football. The Silver and Black." 

A lifelong Raiders fan since growing up in Southern California when the Silver and Black were playing in Los Angeles, Pierce is fully aware of the organization's history.

"The legacy of this franchise, the history, everything the Raiders have always stood for, those things matter to me more than I can put into words," Pierce said. 

"It’s what I grew up with as a kid in Compton. Everything I love. Who I am. I mean … when Mr. (Mark) Davis told me a few months ago that he was going to entrust me with being interim head coach, I remember I looked him dead in the eye, and you know what I said?

"I’m ready."

Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce is ready for the task at hand / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pierce aims to be one of the best coaches in the Raiders' history. 

"And, believe me, it’s only going to get bigger and better from here," Pierce said. "At the end of the day, I want to be on that Mount Rushmore of coaches who’ve done it with the Raiders and led this organization to the promised land. I want to be holding that Lombardi Trophy with one hand and a cigar in the other.

Pierce and the Raiders have become synonymous with smoking cigars after their victories. They've gotten push-back for the cigars from those outside the organization who might not understand their significance to Las Vegas's locker room.  

And you know what? Now that I think about it, Pierce said: "That reminds me, to all the people out there who want to look down on us or take shots at us because we light up our cigars after wins, or listen to our music too loud, or play hoops in the locker room, or whatever else it is people want to ding us for … let me just say this once and for all: We are the Raiders, damnit. We don’t need to be liked. But we will be respected."

Pierce has the opportunity to help return the team he grew up watching in Los Angeles to prominence. The Raiders couldn't have found a better fit for their current team than they did with Pierce. 

From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.

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