Antonio Pierce went from interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders to full-time head coach of the club and set two lofty goals for himself at the start of this season.
“Ultimately, with the Raiders, I want to be on the Mount Rushmore of coaches who have taken this organization to the promised land,” Pierce wrote in an article published Monday in The Players’ Tribune. “I want to hold the Lombardi Trophy in one hand and a cigarette in the other.”The legendary John Madden set a Raiders franchise record with 103 wins by a head coach. By comparison, Pierce went 5-4 as an interim coach last season. It quickly became popular among players.
Stars such as quarterback Maxx Crosby and All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams have campaigned publicly to keep the former linebacker as a full-time coach in Las Vegas. Crosby even threatened to demand a trade if Raiders owner Mark Davis hires anyone other than Pierce. “Believe me, I know how lucky I am to have this opportunity,” Pierce added. “It’s not what a lot of people expected. I am African-American. I come from an urban environment. I was on my cycle. Too small. Too short and different. Then I heard he was leaving to become interim director. I heard that the chances of getting a job are low. I was told I couldn’t be a leader of men. But you know what? They were walking.”
Pierce is no stranger to success at the highest level as he was a member of the New York Giants that defeated the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. But winning another title and achieving long-term success in LA may be more difficult. And I start by finding his club’s next starting point. In a recent mock draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller reported that the Raiders will draft Michigan Wolverines signal caller J.J. McCarthy.
