The Antonio Pierce era with the Las Vegas Raiders has been disappointing so far. Despite his success as interim head coach last year, leading the team to a 5-4 record, his current stint hasn’t seen the same results. The Raiders are now sitting at 2-7, and Pierce has already overhauled much of his offensive coaching staff.
While owner Mark Davis appears willing to give Pierce more time, there’s a new element in the mix: Tom Brady, who was recently approved as a minority owner of the Raiders. Brady’s influence could be significant, especially given his extensive knowledge of the game as a seven-time Super Bowl champion. Davis, whose tenure since 2011 has been rocky, might benefit from Brady’s insights on football decisions.
There are well-regarded coaches with ties to Brady available, including Bill Belichick, who coached him to six Super Bowl wins. However, given their occasional clashes and Belichick’s age (72), the Raiders might hesitate on that option. A more fitting candidate could be Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls with Brady as a teammate and earned NFL Coach of the Year in 2021 with the Tennessee Titans.
Would Mike Vrabel Be a Good Fit With Raiders?
Vrabel was unexpectedly let go by the Titans last offseason, despite a 54-45 record and three playoff appearances. After spending a year as a consultant with the Cleveland Browns, he’s likely to be a sought-after coaching candidate in the coming offseason.
On paper, Vrabel and Pierce have much in common. Both were leaders and Super Bowl-winning linebackers, and each began coaching defense in college after their NFL careers. However, Vrabel had four years of NFL coaching experience before stepping into a head coaching role, while Pierce had under two years.
If Pierce finds his footing, he could draw comparisons to Vrabel. But it’s unclear how much impact that would have for Las Vegas. Vrabel has demonstrated more coaching competence and success than Pierce, yet it’s debatable if Vrabel would have done better if promoted as quickly as Pierce. If the Raiders plan to revamp their coaching staff, it might be wiser to focus on an offensive-minded coach rather than another CEO-type with a defensive focus.
Antonio Pierce May Get Another Year
Since taking control of the Raiders in 2011, Davis has cycled through eight different head coaches. The only one who was really given a chance to establish something was Jon Gruden, who resigned during the 2021 season.
Davis likely isn’t enthusiastic about starting another coaching search. Brady’s role is a major factor—Davis could let him make the head coaching decision, giving him the authority to lead the next search if Pierce is let go.
However, that seems unlikely at this point, given Brady’s newness to the role. The most practical approach might be to give Pierce another year to improve, though he probably won’t get a third if the team doesn’t start showing progress.
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