Former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has been talking more about his time in Las Vegas, and he mentioned this week that he believes the team’s decision to fire him came from Tom Brady.
“I think this year, you know, [Tom Brady] built that team. I mean, those are a lot of his calls,” Pierce said. “I think even starting with [firing] me, you know, I think with me that was one of his calls.”
Pierce went on to say that Brady couldn’t be trusted by teams around the league to keep sensitive information from the Raiders, and in making that statement he probably confirmed the reason Brady chose to let him go in the first place.
Pierce might not have done his coaching career any favors by calling out his former boss, but the bigger issue from Brady’s perspective might have been the fact Pierce talked at all.
With Brady clearly assuming a role in Las Vegas that is more involved than a typical minority owner, it makes sense that he would want to pick his head coach and GM.
Brady also needed decision makers in Las Vegas that will be loyal to him.
Hypothetically, if Brady were to screw up a personnel decision or bring sensitive information to the organization, the last thing he would want is a former head coach or GM taking the scoop to the media. For what little time they spent together, Pierce has already shown a willingness to talk about topics Brady isn’t comfortable with.
In theory, that’s something Brady can trust GM John Spytek and maybe head coach Pete Carroll not to do.
And on a related note…
Brady was in the coaches’ box on Monday night, and it was reported this week that he has incorporated himself into the game-planning process with the coaching staff.
Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly both downplayed Brady’s roll with the coaches, but if Brady was sitting with the offensive coaches on Monday, it’s hard to imagine he wasn’t vocal with the coaches through the week.
Maybe Kelly and the offensive coaches are excited to have Brady so closely in the mix, but if the offense fails to impress as the season goes on, it’s going to be an interesting dynamic to watch.
Maybe something to keep an eye on.
x: @raidersbeat
Why would any team want (a whatever the hell Brady actually is) only “loyal” to one man instead of that one man ” loyal” to that particular team? The Big Cheater isn’t loyal to the Raiders at all. He can’t even commit to the team for 85% of any individual week in season or off-season. Once again Mark Davis has royally Effed up this situation completely! Seriously since Mark started drooling over Brady back in 2020 he’s fired Rich, hired McDaniels and Ziggy, released or allowed to leave the nucleus of the playoff team of 21 within 14 months and fast forwarding to just this past off-season allowed Tom to hire his old friend as GM, decide to hire P.Carroll instead of Ben Johnson (didn’t even make an offer) retained P.Graham instead of R.Salah, wasted $$ on C.Kelly. Drafted a RB at 6 overall, wasted a 3rd on Geno instead of a good rookie prospect by passing on trading up for C.Ward, passed on J.Milroe, passed on S.Sanders to take a small school QB who would’ve been an undrafted FA in the 6th. This team has been decimated due to the Patriot west philosophy and its only continued to get worse. Again way go Mark for bringing in Tom. You gave him a well below market deal for his shares in the club and you’re allowing this guy to run the team when he can’t even commit near the time it should take to do the job. What a Effin disaster!
You’re 100% right in that Mark Davis is the issue. It’s been reported that he just doesn’t have many league connections, so he resorts to famous people he knows from TV or loyalists who depend on him, like Ken Herock or former players. He doesn’t really have the ability to identify up-and-coming guys, because he lacks those connections. So, he looks to Tom Brady, a business partner who was a great player, to run the organization. He looks to Pete Carroll to coach the team because he was one of the best and most prominent coaches of the 2010s, even though his age doesn’t match up with the Raiders timeline.
Even the Aces… He just hired the most prominent woman in MEN’S basketball. It just so happened that Hammon is a really good coach. If he deserves credit for anything, it’s investing in facilities and amenities, and, you know, treating WNBA players like they’re valued, big time professional athletes (he probably does deserve credit for this!), instead of a bunch of carnys or some sideshow act to the NBA, practicing in high school gyms and stuff like that.
So, is that the hope for the Raiders. Just hope he eventually lands a famous NFL person who happens to actually be good? That could take a while, if Brady isn’t that guy, and nothing so far indicates he is.
Completely agree…although they would’ve never had a chance to get Cam Ward.
Mark’s moronic mind is still trying to creat the Patriot way.
For all the crap Al got about meddling. , Brady is making things worse. Guys like Chip Kelly don’t need his input
“Brady was in the coaches’ box on Monday night, and it was reported this week that he has incorporated himself into the game-planning process with the coaching staff.”
Also, AP…. I think his 4-13 record after setting high expectations probably did plenty more to get him fired than a perceived lack of loyalty to Brady. That said, it could be another red flag when it comes to Brady, where every decision he’s been associated with so far is looking pretty awful.
I’m commenting on today’s game, they r pathetic. They r worse this year than last year. They can’t do nothing right. Hiring that coach wrong move. That ****’n idiot owner needs to sell the team, whoe knows how to run a team.
Tom Brady what a joke.
I’m not going to jump ship 3 weeks into a new regime. I don’t like that they drafted Jeanty, or any RB with that pick. They should have been trading down, collecting picks, drafting offensive linemen and corners in the first three rounds. If Tom is running the team, I think he is, I am surprised that he did not make Linemen a priority. I think this line will improve “marginally” at best. JPJ must not be very bright, that’s the only thing I can figure why he’s not out there at center. He does make bonehead penalties, late hits and such, but we need his brawn and attitude.