Raiders hire Pierce as new head coach

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas Raiders have announced that Antonio Pierce will return as permanent head coach, a press release announced Friday.

The release said that the nine-year NFL veteran layer and former Super Bowl champion will take on the job he took on on an interim basis for the 2023 season’s final nine games. The move comes after the Oct. 31 firing of then-head coach Josh McDaniels. Pierce led the team to a 5-4 record in the games he helmed, including a massive 63 – 21 victory over the Chargers and a 20 – 14 win over the Chiefs.

Many on the team supported Pierce, hoping he would get the job. Jack Jones, Raiders’ cornerback, told the Associated Press that Pierce was “like a father figure” to him. Wide receiver Davante Adams said the head coach “understands the mindset.”

“He understands the goal we have as a team, and I think everybody has rallied around him real tight to make sure he knows that we’ve got his back,” Adams said.

Aside from Las Vegas, Pierce reportedly interviewed with Tennessee and received an interview request from Atlanta.

“Pierce is grateful for the support of his wife, Jocelyn, daughters, Jayla and Destini, and sons, Anthony, De’Andre, Carmelo, Preston, and Santana,” the news release said.

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