Raiders' Antonio Pierce After 1 Year At the Helm

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was named the team's interim head coach 12 months ago. He analyzes his first season on the job.

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Shortly after the Las Vegas Raiders lost embarrassingly on Monday Night Football to the Lions last season, owner Mark Davis decided to fire Josh McDaniels and promote linebackers coach Antonio Pierce to the head coaching position. It was a move the team desperately needed at the time

Still, Pierce deals with the aftermath of McDaniels' decisions weekly but makes the most of the situation. The final nine games of last season proved the Raiders made the right decision, even if their record this season shows they are equally as bad as they were under McDaniels.

However, the Raiders play with pride under Pierce, even as they lose, which was not always true under McDaniels.

It has been a difficult season for Pierce and the Raiders, as many things have gone wrong. Pierce said he is grateful for the opportunity to be a head coach in the National Football League—coaching in the NFL is another feather in Pierce's cap.

Still, the year that has passed since has gone by quickly, just as Pierce's promotion happened.

“Fast, you blink, and it’s here again. I was making sure my phone didn’t ring last night. But, no, honestly, a lot of learning in a year. And you can't prepare for it. You can't sit there and think you know what's about to happen because each and every day when I walk in this door, something new happens, right?

"Each and every game creates a new obstacle, a new challenge for us. The roster, the coaching staff, and the building. And I think just leaning on my key people around me that I rely on with support, information, give my thoughts to, get thoughts from them. It's been good. But like I said, if you'd asked me a year ago today, would I be standing here? I would probably say, 'No', right?

Pierce spent over a decade in the National Football League as a player, winning one of the most improbable Super Bowls in NFL history.

Still, that is entirely different than being a team's head coach, especially a team with such a rich history. Pierce noted that while things have not gone perfectly, he is still grateful for the experience of being a professional head coach.

"I think being in the position I am now, I have a better understanding of our team, a better understanding of what we need to do to fix things, and we've got to constantly keep doing it," Pierce said. "And I think that's the best part about this job that it's never finished, right? So, that's my goal, and obviously, just fortunate to be in this position."

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