The Las Vegas Raiders have decided to keep/ head coach Antonio Pierce. After a press conference this afternoon, he is staying put unless he is told otherwise. There are conversations to be held with Tom Telesco about the staff. As for Pierce, he will be the coach for the Raiders in 2025.

The Raiders finished the 2024 season with a 4-13 record and finished with another last place in the AFC West. To make matters worse, they were the only team in the division to not make the playoffs.

The Antonio Pierce Era

After the Raiders parted ways with Josh McDaniels last season, tabbing Pierce as the interim guy was the right move. He had a competitive nature, much like his days as a player. The vibes in the locker room were down and the Raiders went from a team that reached the post season to a basement dweller in short order.

Pierce turned things around and gave the Raiders a strong record to conclude the 2023 season. Sure, it bumped them down the draft order and they weren’t able to select the quarterback of their choice, but they did land a premiere rookie in Brock Bowers.

The 2024 season was not a season of success for the Raiders and Pierce was never ever to build off his strong finish. The Raiders quarterback issue was subpar and became a glaring issue that derailed any success they could’ve had. Pierce also had trouble with game management and the questionable decisions the coaching staff would make raised eye brows. In his press conference, he touched on how he didn’t go with his gut nearly as much as he did the season before. Maybe he was overthinking and the pressure with taking the job kept building up. But he is a tough person and rolls with the punches. He knows the business side of things and knows what comes with the territory whether it’s winning or losing.

Injuries played a toll, as losing Christian Wilkins, eventually Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, and Nate Hobbs to name a few didn’t help either. Pierce was a guy that the players wanted and Mark Davis heard them loud and clear. With the decision made, it’s time to get to work.

What’s Next for Raider Nation?

Well now it’s time to get to work. The Raiders quarterback was a glaring issue and it went exactly as you’d expect. Aidan O’Connell is good, but you need your franchise guy. Gardner Minshew was a placeholder and he is gone. The Raiders need to find their guy. Also, the team needs an influx of lineman to not only deliver in pass blocking, but run blocking. The run game was non-existent, so addressing that will be crucial.

We will get more into that another day, but the real work is only just beginning. Time for Antonio Pierce to right the ship.