Former Pro Bowl linebacker Antonio Pierce had a pretty forgettable run as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pierce, who took over as interim coach in 2023 after Josh McDaniels was fired following a 3-5 start, went 5-4 and guided Vegas to a second-place finish in the AFC West.
He had a groundswell of support from several Raiders players including former wide receiver Davante Adams and star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby, who wanted owner Mark Davis to offer Pierce the job on a full-time basis.
Davis listened to his players and removed the interim tag from Pierce’s title in January of 2024.
“I went through a nine-week interview process for the head coaching job of the Raiders, and it was unanimous from the players, fans, alumni and staff that Antonio Pierce was the right man moving forward. He earned that,” Davis told The Athletic in reference to his time as interim coach.
“… What surprised me was how successful he was at winning over the team as quickly as he did. Winning over the fan base as quickly as he did. Winning over the alumni as quickly as he did. And winning over the building as quickly as he did.”
More NFL: Tua Tagovailoa Sends Warning Shot to Tyreek Hill After Talk of Leaving Dolphins
But the excitement of the Raiders thinking outside the box in hiring Pierce, an unconventional choice to lead an NFL team with just one-and-a-half season of NFL coaching experience under his belt, wore off quickly.
With the Raiders finishing with a 4-13 record, Pierce was fired after the season and replaced by Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll — a hand-picked replacement by minority owner Tom Brady.
And while Pierce hasn’t received any NFL interest in the months since, he has landed a new gig in an NFL-adjacent profession.
Athletes in Action, a consulting firm that works with amateur and professional athletes, announced on its Instagram page that it had hired Pierce to serve as its new chief strategy advisor.
More NFL: Chiefs’ Andy Reid Drops Major Hint About Travis Kelce’s NFL Retirement
Pierce will still have some NFL ties through his new job as Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is a brand ambassador for AIC.
It’s unlikely Pierce will land another head-coaching job in the NFL anytime soon given the way his Raiders tenure went.
Vegas started off 2-11 last season and Adams, the team’s star WR at that point, made it known he wanted out, essentially forcing a trade to the New York Jets so he could play with former teammate Aaron Rodgers.
Pierce does have experience as a linebackers coach in the NFL, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him land a defensive assistant coaching job at some point.
The post Ex-Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Resurfaces With Surprising New Job appeared first on Newsweek.
