Antonio Pierce lasted just one full season as the Raiders coach before being fired Tuesday.
He couldn’t continue the success he had as the team’s interim leader in 2023 after getting the job full-time in January 2024.
The Raiders finished this season 4-13 and went 0-6 in the AFC West for the first time since 2006.
Here are five reasons why Pierce couldn’t turn things around and was dismissed:
1. The QB situation
It’s not Pierce’s fault the Raiders entered training camp with quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew competing for the starting job.
After all, Pierce lobbied for an upgrade all offseason. He famously stated he wanted a long-term answer at the position instead of a Band-Aid. The Raiders then went out and signed Minshew, the ultimate Band-Aid.
But Pierce also deserves blame for how he handled things.
He appeared to want O’Connell to win the job during the preseason, but eventually named Minshew the starter after a less-than-impressive competition.
Minshew then led the Raiders to a 2-2 start that included a road win in Baltimore. They were rolling in their fifth game in Denver until Minshew threw a Pick-6 that turned the game — and ultimately the team’s season — around.
Pierce proceeded to start O’Connell in Week 6 against the Steelers. The switch didn’t help. The Raiders lost to Pittsburgh for their second defeat in what became a 10-game losing streak.
Pierce said Monday he should have started O’Connell from the beginning. It was an odd comment that left questions about who he was pointing fingers at and who was calling the shots.
The Raiders didn’t set themselves up for success with their quarterback room this season. But Pierce figured out how to make a bad situation even worse.
2. The Getsy dilemma
Luke Getsy was not Pierce’s first choice as offensive coordinator. The team almost hired former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who went on to become the Commanders offensive coordinator, and interviewed then-UCLA coach Chip Kelly twice.
Getsy’s hiring still proved to be a major part of Pierce’s downfall.
Again, the quarterback situation didn’t help. But the Raiders’ results under Getsy were putrid. They finished 29th in points per game (18.2) and 32nd in rushing yards per game (79.8). He was fired after the team’s Week 9 loss to the Bengals along with offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello.
Interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner, Getsy’s replacement, couldn’t fix things midseason. The Raiders’ struggles didn’t inspire confidence that Pierce would get his next offensive coordinator pick right.
3. The magic wore off
Pierce earned the Raiders’ job full-time by rallying support in the locker room during his time as interim coach.
It’s easy to be a fun substitute teacher, however. Pierce, once in charge on a permanent basis, couldn’t build the sustainable culture he wanted. Things started to slip away from him as the losses began to mount.
The smoke of victory cigars after wins last year was replaced by clouds of confusion this season. The Raiders weren’t sure who they were supposed to be under Pierce in 2024. It was a much different vibe than 2023.
4. The Adams situation
Wide receiver Davante Adams was one of Pierce’s most vocal supporters last year. Yet he barely made it out of the first month of the 2024 season before demanding a trade.
There could be a whole documentary made on why Adams and Pierce’s relationship deteriorated so quickly. It started when the Netflix show “Receiver,” featuring Adams, came out just before the season. The docuseries highlighted his frustrations with the Raiders during the 2023 campaign.
Adams and Pierce then had a power struggle over whether Adams should participate in preseason games. Adams ultimately didn’t play. He was held out of the Raiders’ exhibition game against the Cowboys on Aug. 17 in what Pierce deemed a precautionary measure.
Things appeared to go downhill from there. Pierce called out unnamed players for making “business decisions” following a Week 3 loss to the Panthers.
That game was Adams’ last with the Raiders. Days later word got out he told the team he would prefer to be traded. Adams sat out three straight games with a hamstring injury, then was dealt to the Jets on Oct. 15.
5. The decisions
Pierce struggled with game and clock management decisions this season despite adding several veteran coaches to his staff.
Perhaps he added too many voices. He said Monday he regretted not “trusting his gut” more.
The bottom line is Pierce had too many wasted timeouts, confusing challenges and baffling fourth-down decisions. He will always have a place in history, however.
Pierce punted with the Raiders facing a fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 43-yard line in the season opener. His team was trailing 16-10 at the time with 7:15 to play. He became the first coach to punt on a fourth-and-1 in opposing territory down eight points or less in the fourth quarter since 2016.
Los Angeles proceeded to score a touchdown on its next possession to seal a 22-10 win.
Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
