There is no question that the Raiders’ locker room has been sending a strong message to team owner Mark Davis in support of interim head coach Antonio Pierce, but how would it be received if Davis decides to hire someone else?
The answer to that question depends on who you ask.
One team beat writer thinks the players would be on board with a hire like Jim Harbaugh, but there is no consensus on the matter.
Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter spoke this week on the possibility of Pierce not getting the job, and he believes the players will be “furious” if Pierce isn’t the head coach next year…
“[The players] will be angry [if Pierce isn’t retained]. Furious is a better term,” Carpenter said in his weekly Q&A column. “That doesn’t mean they will quit, but the Raiders have a great history of players who love the organization. If Mark Davis, for the second time in two seasons, goes against their wishes, they will certainly view the franchise differently. I want Mark to succeed; he is a good man. He has listened to many people hiring many coaches, and none of them worked out. Maybe this time, he should listen to his players. What does he have to lose?”
Some have mocked the idea of players having a negative reaction to a coach other than Pierce being hired, but it was only two years ago that Davis removed a head coach that was beloved by the locker room, and some would say the team never fully bought into Josh McDaniels.
The locker room may have respected McDaniels and the players seemed to say all the right things publicly, but there was clearly a different level of buy-in when Pierce took over the Raiders on October 31.
Just something to think about as we move closer to Davis settling on the Raiders’ next head coach.
twitter: @raidersbeat
The Haircut Needs to give AP his Just due and ink him to a Deal.
You can not scoff at what that man accomplished this Season;the Team was DOA and he provided the Shot of Adrenaline that brought this Lifeless Organization back from the proverbial Morgue!
Personally I like Antonio Pierce as previously stated, though some of the decisions he’s ultimately responsible for likely had us miss the playoffs. Yeah the players seem to like him, but after all these decades without a 4th Super Bowl trophy in the case I don’t care if Bowl Cut boy hires Bozo the Clown as long as he adds Lombardi trophies to the coffers!!!
Hopefully they wouldn’t pull a **** move like Jameis Winston, bush league.
A note to Mark Davis, What these 2 have accomplished is beyond words. I will give it my best. Beating the hell out of the chargers, sending 80,000 chiefs fans home on Christmas night sad. Kicking donkey butt on our last game at home. He brings swagger, honesty, a winning pride only from a captain of the super bowl winning giants. This is a leader of men not a visor wearing clipboard dushebag like mcstupid. These fans these players and all involved love these 2 men. Good god give them a chance please. Just roll with this Mark it is what you need to do. Go and do whatever it takes to get jaydon Daniels, pierces mentor. Get rid of anything that has the letters NE associated with it. Garrapolo, Hoyer, Billichick, Brady.. New era new montra, The Raider Way- run like the wind- just win baby!!!!!
Hondo Carpenter is a moron.. he also talked glowingly about Josh McDaniels. Harbaugh is my first choice.. as he should be.
Yeah Right. Players get paid Millions to play the Game. Short Memory? They Loved McClown!! Look back at the Videos. Players loved playing for Gruden (Both Times) They Loved Biasacchi. Let me tell you one thing… Players really Love playing the Game for Any Coach as long as they are Winning or believe that they are heading in the right direction. They Love their paychecks but they Really want Rings, especially as their careers enter the twilight. What is the fascination with a man who has One Year experience? It is the FACT that he replaced the Worst Coach in the History of the Game and the Players responded to the New Freedom. They won some games but there were a number of Coaching errors that were detrimental. Whooping the Chefs, Bolts and Donks is Great but is a Coach sustainable just because he can yell: “RaaaaaY Duuuuuhs!” ?
Absolutely! Why do you think malcom koonce season turned around? The reason is because a green dot linebacker from the NYG knew where to put and school him. That’s experience not having a #7 pencil behind your ear and wearing a visor and holding a freakin clipboard. Got it ? Mcstupid never put a helmet on and never played the game period. Look at young bad dude not a good draft. Put a player in the right position and wow! Pierce has swager, talent, street smarts anf a personality that is off the charts. If we get these 2 men we will rock the NFL. Its really something special happening, don’t rock the boat mark just go with the flow. More exciting things will happen. Get in your mini buckle up and enjoy the ride. Raaaaaaaaydurz!!!!!