Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce is receiving his flowers this week. The Silver and Black picked up an impressive 20-14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day, and many, like Raiders legend Charles Woodson, want Pierce to have his job permanently.
It’s been a bag of mixed results for the Raiders on national television this 2023 NFL season. However, Pierce had his squad ready to play, as the defense made life miserable for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. The Super Bowl champion earned that statement win to show owner Mark Davis he deserves to keep the head coaching position.
Charles Woodson: Antonio Pierce knows what being a Raider looks like
For Woodson, the Hall of Famer sees that Pierce maximizes the squad he didn’t build and embodies the desired traits of a Raiders head coach. Whether it’s because the Compton native grew up a fan or he’s channeling the characteristics from his days as a player, it’s a constant compliment many from the outside give to Pierce.
“He knows what it looks like, and then he also knows what being a Raider looks like,” Woodson said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Him growing up being a Raiders fan, I get no more joy than watching him after the games when he hits that Raiders chant because it’s something I feel like I would know being a Raider just yelling out Raiders and so he knows what it looks like.”
Even if Pierce doesn’t get the Silver and Black into the playoffs, it’s hard to argue against him keeping the job. Despite the flaws on offense, the Raiders have competed under their interim head coach. Will it be enough to get them into the playoffs? They’re on the bubble, but finishing with two wins builds momentum for the 2024 season, especially if Pierce keeps his job.
Does Mark Davis need to conduct a head coaching search?
After complimenting Pierce for the job that he’s done as the interim head coach, Woodson turned his attention to Raiders owner Mark Davis. He offered his advice on what the franchise should do with its head coaching position, noting that Davis should save himself the time and hire the 45-year-old.
“Mark can go out and he can look far and wide, but he’s not going to find another Raider that understands what this thing should look like more so than Antonio Pierce,” Woodson added. “So I would give him my blessing. From what I’ve seen so far, I think the players have given him his blessing as well, the way they performed and I would be very happy with Antonio Pierce being the guy going forward.”
Davis wanted Josh McDaniels to be the head coach to compete with the Chiefs’ offense. Nonetheless, he may have found another way the Raiders can compete with Kansas City in the AFC West: punching them in the mouth defensively. So Pierce deserves at least a chance to prove that his coaching philosophy can result in the Raiders becoming challengers for the division crown in the Mahomes era.
*Top Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images