Leading candidate emerges for Raiders head coach job

Sep 26, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A detailed view of the Las Vegas Raiders shield logo at midfield at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be zeroing in on a favored candidate for their head coaching position.

Antonio Pierce has emerged as the leading candidate to land the Raiders job, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The interim coach is not the Raiders’ only option, but sources around the league would be surprised if the team goes in a different direction.

Interim coach Antonio Pierce has emerged as the leading candidate to become the full-time head coach in Las Vegas, with the support of key players there, per league sources. There will be other options for Raiders’ owner Mark Davis to consider, but as one source said, “I would be… pic.twitter.com/KhLmROeGAJ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2024

Player support appears to be key in establishing Pierce as the leading candidate for the job. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, for instance, has put public pressure on owner Mark Davis to keep Pierce and remove the interim tag. The likes of Davante Adams have also been vocal about their preference for Pierce to get the job.

Pierce took over for the fired Josh McDaniels and went 5-4 down the stretch, including a road win over Kansas City. The Raiders may have had some high-profile options, but Davis may simply feel that it would be in the team’s best interest to keep the players happy and avoid rocking the boat.