REPORT: Why Antonio Pierce Could Land on His Feet After Firing

The Las Vegas Raiders fired former head coach Antonio Pierce after going 4-13 this season. Pierce could already have a landing spot waiting on him.

November 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce signals against the New York Giants during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders decided to move on from former head coach Antonio Pierce after a challenging 4-13 season. Pierce was tasked with turning around a Raiders team with a flawed roster even when healthy, but the team was anything but healthy this season.

After showing signs of life late in the season, it was debatable whether the Raiders should fire Pierce. However, it was not arguable that the Raiders needed a change of some sort, and the most straightforward change to make was at the head coaching position.

However, Heena Singh of The Sporting News noted many believe there is a perfect position for Pierce.

"NFL insider Mike Garafolo broke the news on X (formerly known as Twitter), reporting that the Raiders dismissed Pierce following a meeting with owner Mark Davis," Singh said. "It caps a short and rocky stint for the former Giants linebacker, who took over midseason in 2023 as an interim after Josh McDaniels’ firing, being retained full-time in 2024 before ultimately being let go. Giants fans didn’t hold back. “Fire Bowen right now and bring AP home!” one fan posted, urging the struggling franchise to consider Pierce over defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

"Pierce stepped into a tough gig," Singh said. "The Raiders finished the season 4-13, grappling with a QB carousel and a lack of consistency on both sides of the ball. Despite the challenges, some believe Pierce did well under the circumstances: “Pierce did fine with one of the worst situations out there. Someone tell Mark to just give the team to Tom [Brady] and take a backseat,” a fan tweeted, pointing fingers at owner Mark Davis for deeper organizational flaws."

Singh noted that the Giants have more than a few reasons to consider Pierce, who would come with valuable head coaching experience in a similar situation to New York's.

"Giants fans’ interest in Pierce isn’t just nostalgia," Singh said. "He was a Super Bowl 42 hero (team-high 11 tackles in what is remembered as “the helmet catch game”) and a defensive leader during his playing days. Many think his gritty, player-first approach could inject life into a struggling Giants squad (3-14 in 2024).

"But not everyone’s convinced," Singh said. "Critics of Pierce’s interim run called it a failed experiment.

“AP was a fan base hire to shut delusional fans up. The experiment failed. The team could’ve been competitive even without a QB. We need a coach that leads a team at all levels of the organization, not just the field,” one post argued, casting doubt on Pierce’s ability to build a cohesive program."

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