Getty Las Vegas Raiders interim HC Antonio Pierce.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce may have already done enough to earn the Las Vegas Raiders‘ head coach next season, especially with a big win over the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the team was eliminated from the playoffs following a Week 17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
A playoff berth may have guaranteed Pierce would get the head coaching job but now the door has opened up for owner Mark Davis to consider other options. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Raiders have not made a decision on a head coach yet and could consider some notable names.
“Superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby and other players have been effusive in their praise for Pierce, and several members of the extended Raiders family have reached out to Davis to express their support as well,” Pelissero and Rapoport wrote in a December 30 column. “But Pierce is not a slam dunk for the job.
“Davis is a believer that you need a big name in Las Vegas, and his two coaches there so far (Jon Gruden and McDaniels) fit the bill. Who could it be this time? Bill Belichick is certainly one if he becomes available, though it’s hard to imagine a return to the Patriot Way would play well in the locker room after McDaniels’ 9-16 stint. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, a former Raiders assistant coach, would qualify. And Davis still loves Gruden, who hasn’t taken a full-time coaching role since his resignation from the Raiders in 2021.”
The NFL’s Rooney Rule will require the Raiders to interview external candidates regardless so Pierce will have to compete against other coaches. A decisive Week 18 win against the Denver Broncos would only help his chances.
Hiring Antonio Pierce Does Come With Risk
Antonio Pierce has done better than anybody could’ve hoped for after taking over for Josh McDaniels. The team is just 4-4 under Pierce but they’ve only lost one game by more than one score. They’ve also been doing this with an offense that looks broken and a rookie quarterback in Aidan O’Connell who clearly shouldn’t be a starter.
Pierce has done a very impressive job but hiring him isn’t a sure thing. He only started coaching at the NFL level in 2022. His only head coaching experience is at the high school level. While leading Long Beach Polytechnic High School’s football program, the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 36 years in Pierce’s second season.
The NFL is a different beast and he’s looked capable so far but hiring Pierce is not a guarantee that the Raiders have finally found a long-term head coach.
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Could Jim Harbaugh Be the Best Fit?
If the Raiders decide to hire Antonio Pierce, there won’t be many who have a problem with that. He’s done enough this season to deserve a chance. But is Mark Davis in a position to take such a big risk? Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh could be open to NFL opportunities and he’s been a head coach coach at the college and NFL levels since 2004.
Raiders players love Pierce and many have come out in support of him. Harbaugh is a former player with a proven track record so he may be one of the few guys Davis could hire that the players could get behind. If Harbaugh would seriously be interested in the Raiders, the team has to at least consider him as a realistic option.