Mark Davis is making this coaching situation more complicated than it needs to be. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce is the obvious permanent choice. This really is the hire that should’ve happened already. The odds of the Raiders luring one of this year’s top candidates to Las Vegas are slim. Pierce is the best and most realistic option among those available.
How many times does a man need to be in the same situation before he makes the right decision? That’s the real question presented to Davis as his Raiders were in the same situation just a few years ago. When the team let go of Jon Gruden after his slanderous emails were uncovered, Rich Bisaccia took over and the team responded by winning seven games under his interim leadership.
We know how that ended, with the Raiders opting for Josh McDaniels, although they already had the guy players seemed to want to play for in the facility. This time they’ve got another guy these players would run through a wall for in Pierce. If you’re a Raiders fan, you’re hoping management doesn’t overthink this one like they did last time. McDaniels had been a disaster as a head coach and continued that trend in Sin City.
Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, or even Ben Johnson, aren’t walking through the doors in Vegas. They might have a shot at Mike Vrabel ,but it’s doubtful this job is No. 1 on his list. But this time the Raiders should take the safe path and side with familiarity. Pierce represents that, but the team also showed signs of improvement once he took over. Not only in the win column (the Raiders went 5-4 under Pierce), but the squad looked more alive, too.
The players want this and so does most of the fanbase. Although Pierce never played for the Raiders, he looks and feels like what that organization represented when Al Davis was alive. If Mark wants to reclaim that mystique and return this franchise to some form of glory, Pierce and his crew are the best answer.
While nothing is guaranteed, Pierce proved that he could handle the reigns and earned his opportunity. When the Raiders get the quarterback situation settled and find their franchise guy, they could be off to the races in Las Vegas.
