Getty Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce.
The Las Vegas Raiders could be planning to make interim head coach Antonio Pierce the full-time head coach but they are in the process of conducting a full search. While it remains to be seen if Pierce will be considered for other head coaching openings, he could be in the mix for plenty of jobs.
If the Raiders don’t keep Pierce, USA Today’s Art Stapleton could see the coach returning to the New York Giants to replace Don Martindale as defensive coordinator.
Pierce spent five years as a linebacker for the Giants and won a Super Bowl with the team for the 2007 season. He’s a beloved player by the fan base and could be a rising star in the coaching ranks if the Raiders don’t hire him.
The only knock on the idea of Pierce being the defensive coordinator is that he hasn’t called plays at the NFL level. He did call plays at Arizona State when he was the defensive coordinator but that’s vastly different than the NFL. That said, he clearly has a lot of upside as a coach and the Giants would be a logical fit for him. He is definitely in the mix to be the Raiders’ head coach next season but he’ll have suitors for other jobs if that doesn’t work out.
New York Giants to Interview Carmen Bricillo
The problem the Raiders face if they take their time figuring out who the head coach will be is that they run the risk of losing their top assistants. In fact, some of them are already lining up interviews.
Raiders offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo is going to interview for the same position with the Giants, per a January 9 X post from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
The Raiders offensive line has overachieved under Bricillo and only allowed 40 sacks this season despite having immobile quarterbacks play all season. The team also dealt with injuries to left tackle Kolton Miller and center Andre James throughout the season but the group continued to play well. Bricillo is becoming one of the top offensive line coaches in the NFL and losing him would be a blow to the Raiders if they decide to keep Antonio Pierce.
Los Angeles Chargers Request Interview With Patrick Graham
Carmen Bricillo isn’t the only top Raiders assistant who could be moving on. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is expected to be a hot head coaching candidate this offseason and is already landing interview requests. According to a January 8 X post from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Los Angeles Chargers have requested to interview Graham.
Graham has been a head coaching candidate in the past and this could finally be the time he gets a job after leading the Raiders to their first top-10 scoring defense since 2002. He’s a major reason why the team had so much success on defense and should be in the mix for the head coaching job in Las Vegas, as well.
If Antonio Pierce is brought back as head coach, losing Graham as his defensive coordinator would be a serious blow. How Pierce plans to replace the coach could factor into whether or not owner Mark Davis wants to make him the full-time head coach.