Getty Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Even before the 2023 regular season ended, a number of Las Vegas Raiders players came out and supported Antonio Pierce to get the head coaching job. Defensive end Maxx Crosby went so far as to threaten a trade request if Pierce doesn’t get the job.
However, star wide receiver Davante Adams is taking a more pragmatic approach. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been linked to the Raiders for years and this looks like the year he could make the jump back to the NFL. Though Las Vegas hasn’t interviewed him yet, anything is possible until the team announces their next head coach.
While Crosby doesn’t seem interested in playing for him or anybody else, Adams would at least be open to the idea.
“I don’t want to say that,” Adams said when asked if hiring Harbaugh would be a momentum stopper for the team during the January 18 episode of “Two G’s in a Pod,” “because you never know what’ll happen and I’m not gonna say him coming would be a negative thing or the team won’t accept him or anything like that. I don’t think it’ll be to that level. … We’ll see what happens but obviously, if whatever were to happen, I’m still the team would bring him in with open arms.”
Adams has been a vocal supporter of Pierce and believes he should get the head coaching job but Harbaugh is a proven winner at the NFL and college coaching levels. It’s easy to see him having success with this Raiders team.
Davante Adams Hasn’t Made Any Decisions Yet
Maxx Crosby drew a line in the sand for owner Mark Davis but Davante Adams prefers to be behind the scenes. He made it clear that he hasn’t issued any ultimatums or given ownership a list of coaches he’d be willing to play for.
“It’s a different feeling,” Adams said.” You heard what Maxx said and I’m sure it’s a lot of people that feel the same way. I haven’t made any decisions on where I stand as far as the coach and where I’ll be but it tells you how serious we feel about A.P.”
Adams would be happy with Antonio Pierce getting the head coaching job but he knows he can’t control what Davis does. That said, it would be interesting to see what he does if the team hires a head coach he doesn’t think is a good fit.
Could Be a Moot Point
Jim Harbaugh has already interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers job and is expected to interview with the Atlanta Falcons. There has been no indication that the Raiders plan to speak with him. Now, Mark Davis has been close with Harbaugh for years so he may not think it’s necessary to bring him in unless he knows he can hire him.
As time goes on, it’s looking more and more likely that Antonio Pierce is going to be named the head coach. It’s just a matter of waiting at this point. Davis could be conflicted about hiring Pierce due to his lack of experience but he’s listened to the players in the past. It’s unlikely he’ll risk losing a player like Maxx Crosby unless he’s going to add a huge name like Harbaugh.