Multiple Raiders Have a Lot to Prove This Upcoming Season

The Las Vegas Raiders have multiple players that have a lot to prove this season. For many within the Raiders organization, the season cannot get here fast enough.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) draws back with the ball Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY

The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off a tumultuous 2023-24 season that saw many unexpected twists and turns. The Raiders entered last season with Josh McDaniels as the team’s head coach and Jimmy Garoppolo as the team’s starting quarterback. McDaniels was entering his second season with the team, and Garoppolo was entering his first. Both were replaced halfway through the season after subpar performances during the first half of last season. 

This led to rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell being named the team’s starting quarterback and Linebackers Coach Antonio Pierce being promoted to interim head coach. After guiding the team to a 5-4 record over the second half of last season and coming extremely close to having an even better record, O’Connell and Pierce enter this season with something to prove.

O’Connell enters the upcoming season eager to prove he is not only the team’s best option at quarterback this season but long term as well. The second-year quarterback has spent the entire season being overlooked despite his admirable performance over the second half of last season. O’Connell was thrown into one of the most challenging situations in the league.

It would have been difficult for any quarterback to navigate, let alone a rookie. After an entire offseason of reps as the presumed starting quarterback and a new offensive coordinator, O’Connell enters the season eager to prove doubters wrong.

The same could be said about running back Zamir White, who spent his first two seasons playing behind one of the league’s best running backs, Josh Jacobs. White performed well in Jacobs’ absence last season, but the sample size was small. This has led to many doubting White’s ability to be productive as the team’s starting running back next season.

White, like O’Connell, enters the upcoming season aiming to prove he has what it takes to be a starter in the league. 

The players are not the only ones with something to prove this offseason. Coach Antonio Pierce was routinely doubted during the team’s search for a head coach. He was doubted outside the organization and maybe even within. It took the team’s star players publicly advocating for him to get the head coaching position.

Star defensive end Maxx Crosby even alluded to potentially asking for a trade if Pierce didn’t get the job. Coach Pierce undoubtedly noticed that it took his players to go to great lengths to help convince Mark Davis to name Pierce the team’s head coach. He enters the season aiming to prove he is the right coach for the Raiders. 

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