Raiders win season finale, team now faces big decisions
The Las Vegas Raiders finished 5-4 under interim head coach Antonio Pierce, including Sunday's 27-14 season finale versus Denver. Was it enough for Pierce to land the full time role?
LAS VEGAS, Neva. (KYMA, KECY) - Soon after the game clock hit, 0:00, Antonio Pierce shook hands with Denver head coach Sean Payton then ran to the fans near the Raider team entrance. Pierce celebrated with the crowd that chanted his name.
"I thought I needed to take a minute and a moment to ah, address the fans, I think they've been very supportive," Pierce said during the postgame press conference. "Since I've taken over as interim head coach, they've been loud and supportive every home game. It wasn't a 60/40 home game, it was a Raider crowd in there today, it was a group that was loud on third downs, getting after it and showing them appreciation. At the end of the day when I was a player, I loved hearing that noise from the crowd. To walk out, into the black hole and see those guys, getting after it, I just wanted to love them up. Listen, what if I'm not here next year? I didn't want to let that that go, let that go by."
I just wanted to love them up. Listen, what if I'm not here next year? I didn't want to let that that go, let that go by.
Raiders interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce
Under Pierce the Raiders posted a winning record at 5-4. The Denver Broncos haven't had a winning record since 2016 and the Raiders 27-14 win in the season finale assured Denver will have to wait one more year for that to happen. Las Vegas also extended its winning streak to eight games over Denver. Both teams finished the season 8-9.
According to a report from ESPN and staff writer Paul Gutierrez, Raiders owner Mark Davis expressed that he is "really excited" about the job Antonio Pierce did in leading the team to a 5-4 finish after he took over as interim head coach.
Black Monday came and went without the Raiders making any front office moves. Pierce is still the interim head coach and owner Mark Davis is also searching for a new general manager. The pause from Davis shows more of a focus in his search for filling the positions.
While Pierce has won over the lockerroom and the fans, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is now being linked to the Raiders. Harbaugh just won the National Championship with the Wolverines on Monday night. Harbaugh recently hired Don Yee as his agent. Yee is also the agent for Tom Brady who serves as one Mark Davis' chief confidants. Harbaugh also started his coaching career in 2002 with the Raiders.
Former Raiders head coach John Gruden could also be in the mix. Gruden will soon be in a Las Vegas courtroom see find out if his lawsuit against the NFL will go forward. Gruden's lawyer said the the lawsuit would be dropped by Gruden if he was given his job back. It's also been reported that Davis never really wanted to part from Gruden.
Back to Pierce, he has backing in the lockerroom from Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby. He helped the Raiders finish 4-2 in the division with big wins over the Chargers and Chiefs. However, his inexperience also showed in winnable games in losses against the Colts and Vikings.
Pierce has won over the lockerroom and the fan base, only time will tell if that is enough to win over Mark Davis.
