Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce brings passion, pride to job

Interim Raiders coach Antonio Pierce had been on the job for only a few hours before he was ready to turn the page.

“It’s a new day, a new chapter, a new era, a new mindset,” Pierce, who was the team’s linebackers coach, said of his message to the players. “What is that mindset? It’s that of the Raider pride, the commitment to excellence, and making sure our alumni, our fan base and Raider Nation are proud of what they see on the field.”

That hasn’t been the case recently, which is why Pierce is getting this opportunity. The Raiders are 3-5 after two straight embarrassing road losses to NFC North opponents, but Pierce believes he can help turn things around as he takes over for fired coach Josh McDaniels, who was 9-16 with the team and appeared to be losing the locker room.

“We’re tired of losing,” Pierce said. “It’s not a good feeling. We’re a production-based business. We’re about competition, being competitive, and playing with an edge and a swag and a certain confidence.”

Pierce expressed gratitude and admiration for his predecessors but acknowledged a change was necessary.

“I just knew the last two weeks we weren’t ourselves,” he said. “Obviously I was focused on the defensive side of the ball, coaching the linebackers, so my focus was there. But you could just sense it as a team. You could feel the aura in the building. You could feel the aura in the locker room when you’re around the guys. Did I have a good sense of it? Yes. Was it my place to talk about it or discuss it with anybody? No.”

Now it’s his job to change that. Pierce hopes to use his influence with the players to fuel that turnaround. He’s passionate and fiery, in stark contrast to the man he replaces.

The team’s defensive star offered his full support.

“(Pierce) is as real as they come and is unanimously respected in this building,” defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “Just win, baby.”

Pierce has earned that respect not just through his nine seasons as a physical linebacker but through the relationships he has built as a coach. The 45-year-old was the coach at Long Beach Poly High School from 2014 to 2017 before moving to the college ranks at Arizona State, where he worked his way up from linebackers coach to associate head coach and defensive coordinator while also leading their recruiting efforts.

He became the linebackers coach with the Raiders last season and quickly made an impression on the players.

Pierce said the passion that shines through his words exists because it is real and genuine.

“I grew up in Compton, California,” he said. “I was born a Raider. I was born with the Raiders rolling in the Coliseum in L.A. I was rolling with NWA, talking ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ rocking Raider hats. So when the opportunity came to work with (the Raiders), I jumped on it. So that’s what set me up for this. I was born this way.”

The first item of business for Pierce was to name Bo Hardegree his offensive coordinator, replacing the fired Mick Lombardi, and rookie Aidan O’Connell his starting quarterback, replacing Jimmy Garoppolo.

Pierce’s first game will be against the Giants on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, the team Pierce won a Super Bowl with in 2008.

“How about that? Couldn’t write it up,” he said. “But it’s not Antonio Pierce versus the New York Giants. Las Vegas Raiders versus the Giants, coming to our house, a much needed win for us. … This is about them. It ain’t about me.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.