Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis gave Raider Nation what they wanted by hiring Antonio Pierce as the new head coach—is he about to hit a grand slam with two more hires?
While some fans are debating whether Davis did his due diligence with regard to the interview process, the fact is, Pierce was his guy. Perhaps he was the “choice” all along. The lack of “big name” interviews certainly suggests that. That’s especially true when you look at some of the names out there. Still, Pierce is the man. Now, the question shifts to the front office.
On Halloween night, Dave Ziegler was ousted, and Champ Kelly assumed his duties as interim general manager. Fast forward to late January, and much like Pierce, Kelly has seen a popular movement rally behind him. Seeing both of them stand side by side throughout the season and even at events thereafter, you’d think they’d be a package deal.
Well, not so fast, Raiders fans.
FYI: Feeling within NFL circles is that the @Raiders could be eying a front office that would include Ed Dodds and Champ Kelly.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) January 20, 2024
Should Mark Davis bring in both Champ Kelly and Ed Dodds?
According to Vincent Bonsignore, host of Raider Nation Radio, Mark Davis could be onto something big. He states that the feeling around the league as of Saturday morning was that both Champ Kelly and Ed Dodds could soon be a front office tandem.
Now, it should be noted that this isn’t imminent. Dodds has been busy with his own interviews, as he’s a popular target to fill a general manager vacancy himself. Even so, a hierarchy that might see both Dodds and Kelly working together could be bad news for the AFC West.
In case you’re not familiar with Dodds, he has roots with the Raiders that date back to the legendary Al Davis. His work as assistant general manager of the Indianapolis Colts is impressive. That’s the same brain trust that drafted Anthony Richardson, Quenton Nelson, Shaq Leonard, and Michael Pittman. Prior to that, he was involved with scouting for the Seattle Seahawks; by 2015, he was the senior personnel executive. That department went with Russell Wilson, Boby Wagner, Earl Thomas, and Richard Sherman. We all know how that played out.
Needless to say, this could be huge for the Raiders if it comes to fruition.
Tom Coughlin On New Raiders HC Antonio Pierce: “Go Get ‘Em AP!”
(By Tony Brucks)
First. Congrats coach AP. You earned it dude. Very proud you are a Raider.
Next. Lets finish this with hiring Champ. If you want 2 GM’s then make them equal power. They should know neither will overrule the other and they are expected to work together to better our beloved Raiders.
My most pressing concern is OC. We need a genius with some daring and some balls when needed at the right time. NO MORE running on 3rd & 3 or more. NO MORE run on first…run on 2nd and incomplete on 3rd down then punt.
I agree, sounds like a potential power struggle that we don’t need. Hire Champ and get us a good OC. Hate to root against him, but hope Graham doesn’t get a HC job and he stays. I also like the rumor of Marvin Lewis joining the staff. Maybe as a Senior Advisor/Assistant HC to help AP.
Sounds like Mark Davis is finally getting it right, he should hear thar loud and clear from the fans as well, & I agree with your suggestions on OC, WE NEED A BOSS
Run, run, pass.. smmfh
For a guy that was skeptical about AP hire from the beginning it felt much like the inmates running the asylum. With Crosby and Adams giving ultimatum’s on HC. I have managed my fair share of businesses. That particular feeling was mom’s meatloaf that sat in the fridge a month too long. A Dodds and Kelly is fine, but to many chiefs and not enough Indians can be an issue. Dodds has been very successful and was part of some very good teams that had some very good draft success. The name I really like was good at the collegiate level and struggled in the NFL. Cliff Kingsbury is a good offensive mind and is a good coach. Kelly is vested interest for AP. Marvin Lewis and Tom Coughlin have been spending a great deal of time with AP and want him to succeed. A number of really good people are eager to help AP. This crazy idea of throwing a bunch people together and take down a few walls is one of those hair brain ideas that Al Davis was known for. If you got run over, well don’t stand in the middle of the road.
Good comment on Dodds but I don’t know what all the other words were. Mom’s meatloaf? Inmates? So you like Kingsbury? Al Davis was a visionary and his hair brain ideas helped create the NFL! I was left with a lot of “huh?” after reading all that. RAAAAAIDERRRS
Yeah i got lost on that take too.
Ok great, we all got what we and the Raiders needed at head coach. Whoever we get at GM can hopefully, finally address the issues that have plagued this team for a while….. DRAFT PICKS. I am hoping for someone who understands who in the AFC WEST that we have to beat to win the West. Yes its KC. Beef up the OLine and defense. The NFL is better when the Raiders are winning!!! And let’s get to the Superbowl!!!
RRRRAAAAIIIIIIDDERRRRS!!!
Hair brain is an ol school expression that refers to an idea that isn’t going to work according to the madsed
Kingsbury,really , what homeless crack pipe are you smoking from, he was totally worthless in college, and even more worthless in the NFL, look at how he ruined the cardinals in phoenix and put together a 1 man show kyler murry as their saving grace , hell fans were crying for curt werner to come out of retirement, leave kingsbury under the rock hes been hiding under so people would forget how bad he is, let the bears pick him up they like hiring losers as coaches.
Ya’ll gotta chill, it’s not that serious.
Run, run, & run some more. Jacobs, Wheatly, Jackson, Allen, run game & defense with a reasonable quarterback will take em deep into the playoffs. Lets remember the failures of former #1 pic QB’s that never played as well as the baby face O’Connell has his 1st year. Let him play.
Agreed
Need an established vet qb though like kirk cousins
SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, CHAMP & DOBBS
Sounds like a shady law firm.
Sounds like you have experience with shady law firms. Tell us all about it.
Anything with more than one head is a monster. You are just asking for a very dangerous power struggle. We don’t need that.
All this talk about head coach or GM the problem with this franchise is 40 years of utter futility in the draft but that all could have been wiped out by signing the greatest free agent in NFL history Lamar Jackson the raiders could have won the division this year had they done mahomes vs garapollo or o Connell laughable vs Lamar teams would be equal
Equal GM’s that report directly to Mark Davis. No B.S. no power struggles. Pay them big, they both will be happy. They only report to Mark Davis. 2 great minds are better than 1. Lets work all together and make it the Raider Swager..not ever, the patriot way. As papa Al said run like the wind………BABY!
If GM’s can work as 1, I’m all for it. Leave egos in the parking lot & put team first as priority. Can’t wait to hear when we get a OC that can lift the offence to extraordinary heights. Congrats AP !
https://www.reddit.com/r/DunderMifflin/s/AtroK69VpB
If they can coexist all in!!!
I smell a potential power struggle. However, I do like the combo of Kelly and Dodd. I like Kelly leading the team as a modern GM, but I also like Dodd’s connection to Al Davis while serving as Kelly’s lieutenant. The Raiders Way that embodies AP’s understanding of their culture along with Dodd and his cultural ties from the past, will hopefully resurrect the “Commitment to Excellence” and the “Pride and Poise” mantras that defined the greatness of the Raiders in those halcyon days of the 60s, 70s and early to mid 80s. Hopefully, Mark Davis struck gold with AP like his dad did with John Madden. Madden was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at San Diego St. until 1969 when Al hired him. Antonio Pierce was also defensive coordinator, linebackers coach as well as assistant head coach at Arizona State in addition to linebackers coach for the Raiders. AP has the potential to be as great as Madden, and the Raiders, with the move to Vegas and a new stadium, are as flush with cash like never before to make it happen. I’m optimistic about the future of the Silver and Black. I remember Al Davis saying in the post game celebration after the Raiders’ win in Super Bowl win XVIII: “The greatness of the Raiders will be in its future.” I finally believe it.
Too many cooks in the kitchen can be a problem. Keep it simple. Hire the best man for the job… Whoever it might be and focus on a brilliant OC and keeping PG.
KNOW MATTER WHAT IS SAID OR
WHAT IS BEING DONE ALL IN ALL ITS BEEN LONGER THAN TWENTY FIVE YEARS SINCE THEY HAVE WON A SUPER BOWL,INNOVATION RAIDER NATION “JUST WIN BABY”!! NO MORE EXCUSES….IS WHAT WE NEED TO ADOPT,AP IS THE FIRST OF “GREATNESS”I SEE IN OUR FUTURE AND A TEAM THAT BELIEVES IN THERE GROUP OF PLAYERS AND COACH FOR THE FIRST TIME, BROUGHT BACK THAT RAIDERS SWAGER THAT USED TO MAKE BETTER TEAMS FEAR US. WE WERE THE TEAM OF THE DECADES AND HOPE TO BE AGAIN SOON.
MARK DAVIS MAKE YOUR OWN LEGEND,JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER DID IT ALL STARTS WITH “YOU”
MATT BAKER
RAIDER NATION FOR LIFE..!!!
I’ve been thinking about OC and came up with 4 names. 1 is out there but I don’t think we’ll get him cliff Kingsbury but he’ll go to the bears. The others we’ll have to buy out there contracts. Charlie Weis OC at Ole Miss, Jeff Lebby OC at Oklahoma, Garrett Riley OC at Clemson. But we need a QB in the draft my vote is get Pennix Jr he has a strong arm and he ‘ll be able to cut through the bad weather that we’ll see in those colder cities cause he’s played in them. Next get Ol coach Georgia or Michigan coaches and maybe ? look into drafting some from Michigan road graters. The OC’s are young, explosive, imaginative in the passing and rushing game. They work with young QB’s. So tell me what you think ? about my names. Raiders fan,Raiders Nation stand up.
Really college coaches with no NFL experience. Hasn’t that been tried and failed.
I’ve been thinking about OC and came up with 4 names. 1 is out there but I don’t think we’ll get him cliff Kingsbury but he’ll go to the bears. The others we’ll have to buy out there contracts. Charlie Weis OC at Ole Miss, Jeff Lebby OC at Oklahoma, Garrett Riley OC at Clemson. But we need a QB in the draft my vote is get Pennix Jr he has a strong arm and he ‘ll be able to cut through the bad weather that we’ll see in those colder cities cause he’s played in them. Next get Ol coach Georgia or Michigan coaches and maybe ? look into drafting some from Michigan road graters. The OC’s are young, explosive, imaginative in the passing and rushing game. They work with young QB’s. So tell me what you think ? about my names. Raiders fan,Raiders Nation stand up.
Jeff Lebby left OU to be HC @ Miss St.
If we decide to break up another playoff ready team (16 & 22) because we want to build the damn airplane as we’re flying it, then get ready to ANOTHER 2-3 years for the playoffs again! Look, the in-house personnel looked better than anything we’ve done in last 8 years! I betcha, DC looks REAL good now that we DON’T have a QB (Thanks, McAsshole!) Let AP and Champ build something first! I don’t remember all this BS when McAsshole & Ziggy were clowning us. All we really need is a QUALITY QB (draft or FA) The last nine games were the first time it felt like RAIDERS football in over two damn decades! Let AP and Champ cook!