Raiders' Antonio Pierce: 'Being Average For So Long is Old'

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is encouraging his team to strive to reach new heights.

Las Vegas Raiders Antonio Pierce and Mark Davis / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has a duty to get his team back to the playoffs and make some noise in a division they once dominated long ago.

The fans are tired of watching their beloved team come up short of the postseason year after year. It's not what they, or Pierce, a longtime Raiders fan himself, were accustomed to growing up.

During his recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Pierce was asked what the "motto" is for this year's Raiders' squad. He isn't quite there yet, but he does know where he wants his team to be right now as it prepares for the 2024 season.

"I don't want to go that far," Pierce said. "If I can stay in training camp, for right now, for us, it's "You, two. You squared.' I told these guys, man, most times I say, 'You plus you.' No, no. 'You times you.' Does that make sense? I need to see more out of you. Let's stop taking these baby steps. I know everybody says, 'Oh, go through the process.' How about we take that leap? How about we take a true leap to that next step.

"Even when we used to run stairs when we were training, right? We're with every stair. ... And every once in a while, when you start skipping them bad boys, you felt a different burn, right? It created -- it made you uncomfortable. Created a little anxiety. I said, 'Listen, man, I want our team to get used to being uncomfortable. I want us to not be afraid to make those leaps and bounds. Because being average for so long is old. It's old. And we're done with that. We're done with that.'"

The Raiders have, indeed, been "average" for a long time -- and even many times, have been below average. The Silver and Black have made just two playoff appearances since going to the Super Bowl in the 2002 season. Pierce is looking to change that.

It's what he was hired to do. It's what many coaches of the Raiders have been unable to do. It's the standard of Raiders football.

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