Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Instilling the Raider Way

There are few coaches who understand the history of the Las Vegas Raiders and the Raider Way as much as Coach Antonio Pierce. He continues to instill the pride of the organization into the players.

Nov 26, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce watches the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels struggled in several areas when leading the team.

Along with being unable to connect with the players in the locker room, McDaniels did not have much in common with the players or the Raiders organization. McDaniels had little to no commonality with or understanding of what it meant to be a Raider or how the Raiders have historically done things.

Once Coach Antonio Pierce was promoted last season, the players instantly played with more passion than they had at any point under McDaniels. While Coach Pierce’s days as a Super Bowl-winning linebacker undoubtedly played a part in why the players responded so well to him, so did the fact that he identified with the players and what it meant to be a Raider. 

For what Pierce lacked in coaching experience on the professional level, he made up with an undeniable, lifelong connection with the Raiders that instilled a loyalty to the organization that would be hard to match for nearly any other coach. 

Pierce, who grew up in Compton, California, while the Raiders played in Los Angeles, understands the Raiders’ history and the implications of being affiliated with the Raiders, both on and off the field. As training camp progresses, he has continued to do his best to instill the Raider Way into the players in the locker room. 

“Well, the culture is in us,” Pierce said at training camp. “I mean, it's in our DNA. We talk about it every day. That was the opening statement in my team meeting with those guys: the Raider Way, the Raider culture, and that never changes. Doesn't matter if we're not playing the game. When we're out here with one another, we have an opportunity to face off against ourselves.

“It's how we carry ourselves. We talk about pride, poise, passion, and when we get pads on, being physical as hell with one another, putting hands on one another, blessing one another. And as you’ve seen, they're going to talk the way they talk. I'm not going to kind of hold them back from doing it. You know, whenever it becomes detrimental, we'll talk about it. But at the end of the day, this is professional football. No matter what you say or do, it's all about the grass.”

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