Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce made his statement win to argue that he should keep the job permanently. Furthermore, those in the NFL media, like FOX Sports’ Michael Strahan, amplify that Pierce should be the Silver and Black’s head coach.
The Raiders went on the road and picked up a 20-14 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs. In a game where few picked Pierce and his squad to get the victory, Las Vegas made life a nightmare for Patrick Mahomes and Co. From the sacks to the pick-six, it was a long afternoon for the Chiefs.
Michael Strahan: Antonio Pierce deserves the Raiders job
Strahan, who was on the New York Giants team with Pierce that won the Super Bowl on February 3rd, 2008, believes it is time for Las Vegas owner Mark Davis to remove the interim tag from the 45-year-old’s job label.
The FOX Sports NFL analyst highlighted the situation that Pierce inherited after the firing of Josh McDaniels. Although the Super Bowl champion has endured some low points, such as the 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Pierce continues to push the right buttons to get the most out of the squad.
“I’m not going to say Kansas City wasn’t ready to play,” Strahan said on the NFL on FOX’s pregame show Monday. “I’m going to say the Raiders probably came in and hit them in the mouth before they knew what was going on, and next thing you know, it got out of hand. But Antonio Pierce has done an incredible job there with the Raiders as the head coach, and this is not with his staff.”
“He inherited this staff from Josh McDaniels when he was coaching there. So, I would love to see Antonio Pierce have the opportunity to coach this Raider team as the permanent head coach. I think he deserves it. And this win today was a statement towards how great he is as a coach and as a motivator and a leader of men, which is what he did for me with the Giants, is what he’s doing now for the Raiders.”
It’s time to remove the interim tag
Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham have turned the Raiders’ defense into a playoff-caliber unit despite not having name recognition outside of Maxx Crosby. An entire offseason at the helm could see this unit get even better, with Pierce having a hand in choosing the talent via free agency and the NFL draft.
Furthermore, while improving the Raiders’ defense, Pierce should also have a chance to bring the Las Vegas offense up to par with the defensive group. Whether he sticks with interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree or goes with someone else, Pierce deserves an opportunity to help pick the coaching staff that can fix the offense.
Then there’s the situation under center. Pierce has also earned the decision to have a say on whether the Raiders should stick with Aidan O’Connell or use free agency, the trade market, or the NFL draft to find the long-term solution at the signal-caller position. Whether it’s fans or the media, it’s becoming consensus that Pierce should be the Raiders head coach.
*Top Photo: Getty Images