The 2024 season was a trying one for the Las Vegas Raiders. The team got off to a decent 2-2 start and may have been able to stay competitive if it weren’t for injuries and roster moves.
The biggest gut punch to the Raiders early in the season was win star wide receiver Davante Adams asked for a trade following a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns. The team was still in the mix at 2-2 and was coming off a win, but Adams decided he wanted to play elsewhere.
According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, Raiders players were not happy with Adams following the trade request and they still aren’t over it.
“After a Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers, Pierce questioned the team’s effort and said some players ‘made business decisions.’ They had a four-hour team meeting the next day, players said,” Tafur wrote in a Jan. 6 column. “(As we mentioned, it’s been a long season.) The next week, after a win over the Cleveland Browns, Adams asked for a trade as he wanted to play with buddy Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets.
“Players still can’t get over that the team was 2-2 when Adams begged out.”
Considering the Raiders weren’t off to a terrible start to the season, it’s hard to argue against the idea that Adams gave up on the team. The fact that he wanted to go to a bad Jets team to play with Aaron Rodgers likely didn’t help change their minds.
Players Credit Antonio Pierce for Keeping Team Together
After Adams was traded, the Raiders went on a 10-game losing streak. Despite that, the team never gave up or looked like they quit on the team. Cornerback Nate Hobbs believes head coach Antonio Pierce deserves credit for that.
“The young players really stepped up, and that’s a tribute to the mentality of this team,” Hobbs said Monday. “I feel like the head coach is responsible for the character of the team. He is the main voice that leads the team leaders.
“His character alone, at times, carried this team, and we believe in him like he believes in us.”
Pierce Understands Why Fans Turned on Him
Following last season, Raiders fans were all in on Pierce as head coach. They chanted his name at games and held signs urging the team to make him the full-time head coach.
Those fans have quickly turned on him following a 4-13 season. He understands why the fans soured on him and knows what he needs to do to change the narrative.
“When we win, everybody’s, ‘AP! AP!’ When you lose, ‘Get rid of his [expletive].’ I get it,” Pierce said during his Monday press conference. “That’s the nature of the beast. It was no different when I played, right? But Raider Nation has been great. The nine road games we had, they showed up to every one of them. They were loud. … So, Raider Nation has been great to me. I appreciate the support. Good, bad, ugly, I get it. We’ve got to win more games.”
Pierce’s status for next season is still in limbo so it remains to be seen if he’ll get the chance to win over fans again.
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Raiders Players Still Upset With Davante Adams: Insider