The Raiders have entrusted the interim coaching position to former NFL linebacker Antonio Pierce. He brings to the job not much NFL coaching experience.
After 10 seasons as a player with both Washington and the Giants, Pierce became a high-school coach in 2014. After four years, he joined Herm Edwards’s staff at Arizona State.
Pierce elevated from linebackers coach to associate head coach to co-defensive coordinator to defensive coordinator. For his entire tenure with the Sun Devils, Pierce served as recruiting coordinator. He resigned in early 2022, amid an NCAA investigation regarding recruiting violations.
Pierce then joined Josh McDaniels’s staff with the Raiders, as linebackers coach. That’s the extent of Pierce’s NFL experience.
Of course, that’s a lot more experience than Jeff Saturday had a year ago. Also, the Colts’ staff had multiple former NFL head coaches who could have taken over the team. The Raiders had limited options on their current staff.
It’s a great opportunity for Pierce to get experience and name recognition in coaching circles. And if he’s successful, maybe owner Mark Davis will give Pierce more consideration than Davis gave his last interim coach, Rich Bisaccia.