Getty Tom Brady.
The Antonio Pierce expierment for the Las Vegas Raiders has been a resounding failure thus far. He was impressive as an interim head coach last year and led the team to a 5-4 record but that success hasn’t translated.
The Raiders are 2-7 this season and he’s already gutted his offensive coaching staff. Owner Mark Davis seems keen on giving Pierce more time to figure things out but there’s one underrated factor that could have an impact.
Tom Brady just recently got approved as a part owner of the Raiders and he could have a lot of influence over football decisions. Davis hasn’t done much right since taking over the team in 2011 and should rely on Brady, who clearly knows a lot about football after winning seven Super Bowls during a playing career that lasted over two decades.
There are respected coaches with ties to Brady who are currently available. Bill Belichick coached Brady for the majority of his career and the two won six Super Bowls together. However, the two didn’t always get along and the Raiders may not want to invest big money is a 72-year-old coach.
The coach who could make the most sense is Mike Vrabel. He was teammates with Brady for three Super Bowls and he’s been successful as a head coach having been named NFL Coach of the Year in 2021 with the Tennessee Titans.
Would Mike Vrabel Be a Good Fit With Raiders?
Vrabel was surprisingly fired by the Titans last offseason after accumulating a 54-45 record and three playoff appearances. After taking a year to consultant for the Cleveland Browns, he should be a hot coaching candidate in the offseason.
On paper, Vrabel and Pierce are very similar. Both were leaders and Super Bowl champions as linebackers. They also both started coaching defense in college after leaving the NFL. However, Vrabel coached for four years at NFL level before becoming a head coach while Pierce coached less than two.
If Pierce figures things out, his comp would be Vrabel. It’s hard to see how much that could move the needle for Las Vegas. He’s obviously more competent than Pierce has been and has proven to be a good head coach, but who’s to say he would’ve been any better than Pierce had he been promoted too early? If the Raiders are going to overhaul the coaching staff, it makes more sense to build around an offensive mind than another CEO-type head coach with a defensive background.
Antonio Pierce May Get Another Year
The Raiders have cycled through eight different head coaches since Davis took over the franchise in 2011. The only coach who really got the time to build something was Jon Gruden, who had to resign during the 2021 season.
Davis can’t be thrilled with the idea of undergoing another coaching search. The biggest factor really is Brady. Davis could give him the power to make this head coaching decision and if he fires Pierce, he could do the next search.
That seems unlikely now as Brady is still so new in the role. It could make the most sense to give Pierce one more year to figure things out but he won’t get a third year if the Raiders don’t start getting better.
