Former GM's Feelings Lead to Bashing of Antonio Pierce

Everyone seems to have an opinion on the dealings of the Las Vegas Raiders. Former General Manager Mike Lombardi was the latest to make his feelings on the team known.

The Las Vegas Raiders are among the most talked about teams in the National Football League. 

The job Coach Antonio Pierce did in turning around a team headed nowhere quickly led to the former linebacker being hired as the team's head coach.

With Pierce taking over the team, multiple hirings and firings occurred, as is the case when a new coach takes over any team. However, for the Raiders, things were a little different.

When they decided to fire Josh McDaniels, they fired offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, the son of former NFL general manager Mike Lombardi. 

Like Mick, Mike also worked for the Raiders at one point. The older Lombardi worked for the team for almost a decade, from 1998 to 2006. 

His son was a significant contributor to one of the worst offenses in the league at the time, which was the sole reason he was fired. Nevertheless, his dad sounded off on Pierce and the Raiders.

“This guy is driving me crazy,” Lombardi recently said. “Can he just shut up? Why won’t somebody in the Raiders tell him to shut up?”

Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce continues to do things his way / © Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Lombardi explained his feelings about Pierce and the Raiders in more depth. Although he's a former Raiders' employee, he doesn't seem to be a big believer in the same Raider Way Pierce believes in.

“The ‘Raider Way’ isn’t a word,” Lombardi said. “It’s about ‘this a prototype of the player we want at this position. This is a prototype of a player we want at that position.’ That’s the Raider Way. What’s so comical is what he’s talking about is because he’s from Compton, he thinks he knows the Raider Way. It’s a joke.”

The Raiders are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. Naturally, many people will have opinions on the team and their dealings. 

However, Lombardi's feelings come across as sour grapes from a former NFL executive whose son was fired by the same team he once worked for. 

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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