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Raiders’ Antonio Pierce learning from former head coaches as he aims to earn full-time job
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As Antonio Pierce’s on-the-job training as Raiders interim head coach continues, he’s tapping into the experience of several men who have been there before.
Sources say former NFL head coaches Tom Coughlin, Marvin Lewis and Adam Gase were all at Raiders headquarters this past week, sitting in on meetings and providing input on all aspects of the football operation amid preparations for the Raiders’ home game Sunday against the Vikings.
Since taking over for the fired Josh McDaniels on Nov. 1, Pierce has leaned on Coughlin — who coached Pierce for five seasons with the Giants, which included a victory in Super Bowl XLII — as well as Lewis, who coached Pierce in 2002 with Washington and was on staff with him for three seasons at Arizona State.
Gase has a close relationship with Raiders interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree, who was on Gase’s staff with the Dolphins and Jets, as well as interim general manager Champ Kelly from their days together with the Bears and Broncos.
Together, the trio of Coughlin, Lewis and Gase has 41 years of NFL head coaching experience for Pierce and his staff to utilize. This was the first week they were in the Raiders building, and Pierce tapped their brains on everything, from scheduling to scheme to technique to officiating and more.
As a former player, Piece is accustomed to real-time feedback on performance, and he has embraced the opportunity to grow and keep learning since taking over the interim job.
Pierce, 45, played nine NFL seasons and worked in business before spending eight years in various coaching roles at the high school and college levels. But he only became an NFL assistant last year as the linebackers coach in Las Vegas. The Raiders won Pierce’s first two games as interim coach before losing their next two before last week’s bye.
Raiders owner Mark Davis has said Pierce has a real opportunity to earn the full-time head coaching job. And players continue to speak up on Pierce’s behalf.
“Selfishly, I want them to continue to be the head coach and GM,” Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby said of Pierce and Kelly Friday on The Insiders on NFL+. “I’ve been very honest with them. I’ve told Mark the same thing. For me, I take it as an extra motivation to help this team win, so they can be in the position they are now for the long term.”
