The Raiders have a 2-9 record going into their ‘Black Friday’ game against the Chiefs, and the trajectories of the two teams right now are moving in polar opposite directions.
The Chiefs have only one loss on the season and have their sights set on the no. 1 seed in the AFC. The Raiders’ season has already boiled down to playing for pride, and in a lot of ways, this year has become more about next year.
For the Raider coaching staff and maybe even those in the personnel department, the next six games are going to be pivotal in determining who stays with the organization after the season and who doesn’t.
Head coach Antonio Pierce is fighting for his job and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini talked about his future with the team on her Scoop City podcast this week.
Russini suggested Pierce could be on the hot seat at the end of the season, but it was something her co-host, Chase Daniel, said that was a little more noteworthy.
”I would just imagine, especially since he’s got one year on his contract left, it’s not like the payouts really big [to fire Pierce],” Daniel said. “I would be surprised if he kept his job.”
There have been rumors that Pierce received a two-year deal with the Raiders last year, but it sounds like that might be a fact.
Additionally, Russini and Daniel talked about the role of GM Tom Telesco going forward, and Russini believes Telesco is still on good footing within the organization.
”Everything I hear, they really like what Telesco is doing in that building,” Russini said. “So we will see how much juice he has on the decision making in terms of future of their coaching position.”
Telesco drafted well last year, and the team has every reason to appreciate his contributions, but a key factor going into next year is the opinion of Tom Brady.
If Brady decides to move on from Pierce, he might have a GM in mind that he wants to pair with his head coach (and himself). It’s also possible that Telesco could find himself in a role similar to what former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie had in 2018 when Jon Gruden arrived.
When Russini talked about Telesco having the “juice” to be involved in the decision on Pierce, it’s fair to wonder if she thinks he might keep his job, but lose some control with Brady in the building.
x: @raidersbeat
Mark Davis needs his head examined if he keeps Telesco and A.P.
No Raiders Coach ever called his team the worst… he’s coaching them and he never included himself in that comment no accountability or responsibility he’s the one who should have had them ready for the season and instead of standing by them he called them the worst team in the NFL… and what’s with the NFL and Holiday cheer if you can purchase prime to watch a football game… greedy corporate A-Holes… the commissioner’s a Dick… THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT THESE PAST FEW WEEKS …
Tom should stay in his lane as a MINORITY OWNER. Not a GM. A TV color man. Not a GM. A former QB. Not a Draft guru. A workout partner. Not QB coach. The current GOAT QB. Not the second coming of Vince Lombardi, Al Davis, Don Shula, etc.
I wish you all would stop talking about Brady like he is the major owner of the Raiders. He only has 10% ownership. Yes, he may have some input, but it’s not going to be up to him to decide who comes and who goes.
We should draft Carson Beck!
When Telesco came on board he said he was happy with the QB situation & QB was not a PRIORITY…. WTF we’ve needed a QB for Years & Definitely This Year… WTF was He Thinking / Talking About… QB is and HAS Been PRIORITY, Along with HC & Now GM after that Dumb Comment & MindSet… RAIDERs Need a Total ReSet @ HC, GM, QB & F the Cigar Smoking !!!! CELEBRATING