Antonio Pierce Helped Several Raiders Have Bounce-Back Seasons

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was instrumental in helping players bounce back from rough seasons.

Nov 26, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce leaves the / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The energy around the Las Vegas Raiders changed when Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach midway through the 2023 season. 

Players started to play more freely and looked like they were having fun playing football. The defense was fast, physical and competitive, and the offense played with a little more confidence as the season went on. 

This turnaround prompted the Raiders to promote Pierce to full-time head coach. Many players and fans also pushed for it, and a new era of Raiders football begins now. 

Looking back at the turnaround in the second half of the season, one of the most notable things about the job Pierce did was his ability to help players have bounce-back seasons. Whether it was because of injury or inconsistent play, Pierce helped stabilize some players’ performances. 

One of those players was safety Tre’von Moehrig. In 2022, Moehrig struggled, and fans started questioning whether he would be a part of the Raiders’ long-term plans. 

Few are questioning that now, as Moehrig bounced back in a major way and looked like the player he was in his promising rookie season. The Raiders’ center fielder was complemented by Marcus Epps, whose presence also helped him regain a more consistent level of play. 

In another year under Pierce and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, Moehrig hopes to maintain the level of play he found in 2023. The Raiders' defense will be better for it. 

Another player who bounced back was cornerback Nate Hobbs. His struggles were largely due to injuries in 2022, and he still dealt with injuries in 2023, but when he was on the field, he flashed as one of the best players on the defense. 

Hobbs posted career highs across the board and established himself as the Raiders’ long-term nickel cornerback. Hobbs and Pierce have spoken highly of each other, and the duo appears to be a good match. 

Linebacker Divine Deablo was another player who dealt with injuries but came back and played good football in 2023. Finally healthy, Deablo had the best season of his career under Pierce. 

Pierce is a former linebacker, so he knows what great linebackers look like. He was the Raiders' linebackers coach before taking over as head coach and has been instrumental in Deablo’s development throughout the years. 

The Raiders want to maintain consistency and carry over the momentum they built in the second half of the 2023 season under Pierce. They have a good shot of returning to the postseason if they can.

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

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.