Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Entire Press Conference Opening Rookie Camp

The Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce opened NFL rookie camp today, and we have his entire press conference addressing the state of the Silver and Black.

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was all smiles at the Silver and Black headquarters. / Darrell Craig Harris, SI Raiders Today

The Las Vegas Raiders opened NFL rookie camp today at the team headquarters, and head coach Antonio Pierce addressed the media on the state of the Silver and Black.

We have his entire press conference for you. You can watch it below, and if you prefer to listen you can CLICK HERE for that.

You can also read the entire transcript below:

Head Coach Antonio Pierce

Q: We didn't get a chance to talk to you after the draft. I was curious what your thoughts were of you first draft as a head coach, and do you feel like you guys accomplished what you set out to do? Head

Coach Antonio Pierce: "Yeah, I thought the first draft working with [Tom] Telesco and our personnel staff, our coaches. Thought [they] did an excellent job of getting the information, discussing, working through different scenarios, working through hiccups. Then we got to the draft, we had a plan, it was clear, we stayed on track. I think the coolest thing about it, when you have so many mock drafts or different scenarios that you think can play out, the first round is interesting, but then after that it kind of becomes like clockwork. You add, you subtract, look on your board, you see your guys there and you go get the players that you know fit the Raiders."

Q: You had some decisions to make at 13. What was it about Brock Bowers in your mind that set him apart?

Coach Pierce: "Just different, I mean you're talking about probably the most dynamic player in college football at that tight end position in a long time. It's rare you get a guy like that that can line up as a slot receiver, see him in the backfield, reverses, catch the ball, but I think more importantly his toughness. Watching him block in the SEC, watching him get after guys, I mean that's what impressed me. Just a gritty player, more importantly a winner, and he can help us score points."

Q: Were you surprised, disappointed, what kind of emotions were there when you get to 13 and all of the quarterbacks were gone?

Coach Pierce: "No, I was excited to pick."

Q: When you guys did your mock, did you expect them to all be gone? Six quarterbacks in 12 picks, it seemed like a lot.

Coach Pierce: "It was a lot. I think an NFL record, right? It's one of those situations you just play it out. You're sitting there watching like everybody else, and again you've got your board, you're sitting there and then you look, and you say, 'We've got A or B or whatever it is," and obviously we're very fortunate to get a guy like Brock Bowers in our room and in our building."

Q: How often and how successful this upcoming season running two tight end sets with Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers could be?

Coach Pierce: "Successful, I mean you look at the National Football League it's difficult. I mean, being a former player going against 12 personnel, the matchups, the alignments that they get you in, what you do defensively I think becomes an issue as well. But you're looking at really - I think we're fortunate to have two tight ends on our roster, that in the last four years of college football were pretty much the best two, and I think hopefully that creates issues. It's going to create issues for us at practice, we'll see that. In our division, we've got some really good tight ends, so it'll be good reps for us as well."

Q: You mentioned looking for guys that fit with what the Raiders are trying to do, and identity and culture has been big for you. How much do you feel like overall that class fits that?

Coach Pierce: "I think so. I mean, we got some gritty, some grimy, nasty, back-alley guys, man, and more importantly we got size. I think you look at the two O-linemen, both gritty, tough, physical, length, power. You look at what we did on the backend, speed with the secondary and got a mike linebacker in Tommy [Eichenberg], who when you come from Ohio State and you talk to the players there, he was kind of the bell cow for them. And then we got this little running back from New Hampshire man, and he's unique. So, it's a very good group of guys, man. I think the coolest part about the whole draft was getting on the phone with them and hearing their excitement, wanting to be Raiders. So, I think it was a good match."

Q: What did you think about Trey Taylor being available in the seventh round, a Jim Thorpe award winner?

Coach Pierce: "Come on. Where does that happen at, right? Got two of them on our team now. He's been a really good college football player. But Trey [Taylor] was very impressive when we brought him in on a 30 visit, very mature. You can see why he was successful in college. I think he has a great opportunity to help us, especially in the kicking game. But when you look at him physically, I mean he's a specimen. I mean he's a good-looking prospect. It's good to get him in the building, glad to have him here. Great smile, good personality, a really good fit for us."

Q: What are you looking to get out of the rookie minicamp here over the next few days?

Coach Pierce: "Learning, we're in elementary school. How we do things, the Raider way, the Raider culture, the mindset, how we play football, how we practice, how we study. They're doing that now in the classroom. I mean that bright-eyed, I asked them to be five minutes early, they're here about 20 minutes early and sitting in the room by themselves. I looked around like I thought it was a meeting going on and they were just ready to go. So, a bunch of eager players, and I think for us just get to know one another. We talked about trust, accountability and process with these guys yesterday, and continue to grow that and get them accustomed to not only the coaches but the rest of players on our roster."

Q: As a player, you were an undrafted guy that had to grind for everything to get to where you are. You have a lot of guys that are coming into rookie minicamp today that are trying to accomplish the same thing. How excited are you going to be to watch those guys as well, trying to make their way through?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, we've got 32 Raiders here. I don't care if he's the 13th pick or the guy that's trying out. They've got a Raider uniform on, we're going to treat them accordingly. They earned the right to stay here, they earned the right to get more reps. I'm just excited to get them here, man. It's just good to get a full roster, 90 guys on the roster now, we can kind of like put this thing together, right, start to build this team and what we want it to look for, for the 2024 season."

Q: From a personnel standpoint or from an X's and O's standpoint, as a former linebacker, how tough is it to defend a 12 personnel package on the other side of the ball?

Coach Pierce: "It's very difficult. I mean just again, because where can these guys align? And I think when you look at our guys, both of them can do a lot of things for you. You can line them up, again I told you, in the slot, at the number one wide receiver, you can put them in line, you can put them in pairs. But more importantly who's matching up on the other side against us? Is it a linebacker, is it a safeties, is it a nickel, is it a corner? So, I think each team throughout the league when you look at their 12 personnel, their body types and their skill set changes defensively what you like to do and what you want to do, and that dictates. And I think hopefully our 12 personnel does that this season."

Q: When you were playing did you face that a lot or was that even involved yet?

Coach Pierce: "It wasn't as big. I mean if you're thinking about 12 personnel in the 2000s it was a true Y, like that extra O-linemen and that really skilled player, right. The [Jeremy] Shockey's, the [Jason Witten's of the world, Chris Cooley's and those guys in the division I played in. And then you had that guy that was just like, man he's 6'6, 270, just an extra offensive lineman. This is different, you’re talking about skill players who can catch the ball, who can come out the backfield, who can do a lot of different things for you, and you see it. Kansas City does it a lot with their tight ends."

Q: Jackson Powers-Johnson looks like a guy that's kind of right up your alley and the Raiders as well. What did you like about the guard from Oregon?

Coach Pierce: "I just love the film. I saw a guy that was gritty, that finished, that strained, that loved the physicality of the game. I saw a leader, I saw a winner, I saw a guy that just loves football. And you want that identity up front. You always look at teams, the best teams it ain't the skill position, right. You want those gritty guys like we've got on our D-line, you want that on the offensive line. And the more those bad boys we can bring in with Kolton Miller, [Thayer] Munford, and [Andre] James, that's going to be huge for us. But he has the attitude, man. I mean, talking to him on the phone was emotional even for me because of just how excited he was. And it was like, damn, we got it right. Maybe nobody else likes it, but we got it right because it's a match made in heaven."

Q: Obviously, you guys drafted Tommy Eichenberg out of Ohio State. As a former linebacker what excites you the most about his game and what he brings?

Coach Pierce: "Old school football, smash mouth, no fair dodging, preying on the lead, leader, captain, green dot, played in a system and on a team that has won, has been close to winning national championships and been there, played some really good players. But more important is presence. When you walk around, you feel a linebacker. He feels and looks like a linebacker. And he creates more size for us and depth. I mean you look at guys like Robert Spillane, you look at [Divine] Diablo, look at Luke Masterson and what they've been able to do, get this young guy in here with those guys and let him grow and learn from them, the future is bright."

Q: I'm sure you've heard of the Terrion Arnold thing about the coin flip. What was your reaction hearing that ?

Coach Pierce: "I only talk about Raiders."

Q: You made it pretty clear all along that no matter who you brought in here at quarterback, the job was basically going to go through Aidan O'Connell. How comfortable are you with that quarterback room and excited to see how this thing plays out?

Coach Pierce: "I'm excited. I mean, what Aidan [O'Connell] did the last four games and from what he's done this offseason – changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise, not worried about anything, I'm excited. And then you bring Gardner [Minshew II] in here. And listen, you talk about personality, I know you guys interviewed him, it's great. It's great for our building, it's great for our quarterback room. And if you have competition in the quarterback room, what does every other room look at? They're looking at those two guys. Anthony Brown Jr.'s done a heck of a job as well. So, what I see is guys getting out there early. Aidan has already kind of taken the bull by the horns and he's leading the way and [Gardner] Minshew's right there doing it as well. That's two guys that have played. And you saw them play against each other last year and they went neck to neck. But I'm really excited to see what happens. I think it's going to be a process. We're going stick to the process. But as I said before, Aidan's earned the right to go out there and get the first snap."

Q: Aidan O'Connell said he's been through this before, always had to fight for a job. Do you think that way benefits?

Coach Pierce: "Aidan [O'Connell] is mentally tough. I said this last year, I said, 'Aidan has a certain thing mentally where he blocks out outside noise, doesn't worry about it.' I'm sure he reads like we all do. But when he comes to work, he's focused, he's prepared, he studies, he puts the time in. There's been conversations that we've had that I've seen him grow in this short period of time in the offseason. I'm really excited to see Aidan as we go through OTAs, minicamp, and training camp."

Q: Decamerion Richardson who fell in the fourth round got some measurables that jump off the page, 6-2, a 4.3 40. What kind of upside do you see from him and what do you see on tape?

Coach Pierce: "Man, a sponge, but first of all, I can't make him taller, right? He stood up the other day and I said, 'Damn!' And then we watch him run, 'Wow,' right? And then when you talk to him, you're talking about a guy that just loves ball, all ball, all ball, right? He's about ball and his horses. But more importantly, once you get him here, he's a sponge, and we can mold him to what we want. And when we looked at the draft, we wanted to get bigger, we want to get longer, we wanted to get faster and we wanted to get tougher, and he fits all those."

Q: You mentioned Thayer [Munford] a little bit ago, and that's a guy that I think a lot of people kind of forgot about on the outside. What have you seen out of him and his development?

Pierce: “ Works his tail off, came back in great shape, running. He’s got a little chip on his shoulder, right? I'm sure he reads the outside news, but he has looked really good. The thing about Thayer that’s special is he can play left tackle; he can play right tackle. We even lined him up at tight end at times last year. The versatility that he brings, but more importantly it’s year three, and he understands this is a great opportunity for him to really just say, ‘I'm your guy’. And I told him, ‘It’s his for the taking.’”

Q: What does Andrus Peat bring to the mix?

Pierce: “ Veteran, Pro Bowler inside at guard. Gives you some flexibility at left tackle. What we wanted to do, and [Tom] Telesco did a hell of a job and we talked about it, is creating depth amongst our offensive line. We want a legit eight to nine guys. I want competition in every room. I want guys to be looking around and say, ‘Man, I can’t have a bad day.’ There's no such thing as having a bad day. And you get a veteran presence who has been there and done it, and that helps a guy like Munford grow and learn. He also could teach you some tricks of the trade with Kolton Miller. So, his experience, and I always say that I value guys who've played in league and played at a high level. He gives us that.”

Q: Is he in the mix at right tackle also?

Pierce: “We will keep him on the left side.”

Q: One of the big stories around the team this week was potentially moving training camp to Southern California. What kind of benefit does it have to get out of the heat and train somewhere else?

Pierce: “Yeah, I don’t think it's more about the heat, it’s about team bonding. When I played the National Football League, we never stayed at our facility. I was used to traveling and going away and kind of bunkered up us and 90 or 85 players at time or whatever it was. And team bonding, getting together and getting to know one another, to get away from all the distractions. It’s all about ball, just ball. I told us, I want us to be the tightest group of Raiders that hopefully this organization has seen. And that's what we're going to grow and build on and get that physical toughness that we want to build on to training camp. And yeah, does it help that it is a little cooler, no doubt. But more importantly, I think it's just good for our team to bond, to get away, and just focus on us.”

Q: As you have gone through this process now with you and Tom Telesco through the draft, were there any kind of eye-popping moments for you that you didn't maybe anticipate this or that?

Pierce: “To be honest, [Brock] Bowers. We didn't see that. Didn't see it. Didn't think that he would be there at 13. I was just shocked to see it and it was like, ‘Okay, you started counting. Wow, no brainer there.’ Again, when you get a dynamic player, a guy that loves football, doesn't really like to talk to the media. So sorry, guys, right? He's not going to be long winded. But he's all about ball and he's a winner, man. He's a winner. He's tough. He wants to get better. I think the first thing, I talked to Mike [Mayer] right away when we drafted him, and I said ’Damn, this is going to be a great combination. Two young studs to grow up together within our organization that can help us win a lot of games.

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