The Raiders are interested in Jim Harbaugh, but will he be the top choice for Mark Davis to be the team’s next head coach?
Only Davis knows the answer to that question… or will eventually know the answer to that question.
For now, it sounds like Harbaugh and Antonio Pierce are the top two candidates for the Raiders’ job, but are the Raiders at the top of Harbaugh’s list?
Maybe not.
According to Washington Post political commenter and NFL insider Jason La Canfora, Harbaugh badly wants the Chargers job, but he’ll have a lot of competition for the gig.
The Chargers are expected to be one of the top job openings in the league during this hiring cycle. The Raiders shouldn’t be far behind, but Justin Herbert probably gives the Chargers an advantage over just about every team in the market for a new head coach.
We don’t know how hard the Chargers are going to pursue Harbaugh, but it seems like he might be the favorite for the job.
“The possibility of the Chargers and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh being a fit has gained steam in league circles,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday.
As far as anyone knows (or has reported), the Raiders have not interviewed anyone for their head coaching job, but we do know who the players want.
“[Antonio Pierce] is obviously who I’ve wanted,” Davante Adams told members of the media on Wednesday. “That’s my vote and I’ve been vocal about that. That’s basically how the whole locker room feels and with good reason.”
Maxx Crosby shared a similar sentiment on Pierce this week…
“There’s only 32 head coaches in the whole world,” Crosby told ESPN on Thursday. “So you’ve got to find a leader of men. And when you’ve got one of them in the building currently, I don’t know why you would let them go.”
twitter: @raidersbeat
Antonio Pierce has bought the Raiders to a 180 degrees turn, he seems to have the old Raider demeanor, Rich Bisicchia is also a great choice. I wouldn’t want to make that choice. I’ve been a Raiders fan since “74” and the funny thing is I didn’t choose the Raiders, they choose me and I’ve never regretted it one bit. So as I see it have two choices, try and get Harbaugh and kick ourselves in the *** again and again and again , or stay within our team and build from within. you know it’s a **** shame to have one of the best wideout in the world and i don’t know what the hell happened to 3rd and Renfro, that was almost money every time. I’m tired of having these same stoooopid *** conversation at the end of each season.
Raider for life and the afterlife !!!!!!!!!!!
You are a real raider fan like me good to know there’s more like me out there!
L: Been a fan about as long as you have. Can’t agree more with your assessment. I can’t help thinking about what the past two years would have been like if we’d have stuck with Bisacchia. We were a playoff team with him and Carr in 2021 and THEN added Adams. Breaks my heart to think about it. Team would have played like hell under Rich and will for Pierce. It’s a shame the QB problem will carry over thanks to he who shall not be named.
I agree with everything you said! I’ve been as long you. Dating back to George blanda, and Daryl LaMonica when they were splitting time at QB. AP embodies what it means to be a Raider! I haven’t seen another head coach other than Madden that makes you feel that way!
These reporters contradict themselves.. one report they’re saying how harbaugh is interested in the Raiders Head coaching job. Now they’re saying he wants the Chargers job. Do they even really know what Jim Harbaugh is even thinking about. I just don’t want us to keep AP and Harbaugh does go to the Chargers after we probably turn him down for our head coaching job and he turns the Chargers around and have them playing for division titles every year while inexperienced AP has us just being a . 500 team cause all he can do is basically talk to the players and tell them that they’re Raiders and this and that and just gets them hyped up to play a game but don’t have a clue on how to manage a game or how to make adjustments throughout the game to defend what our opponent is trying to do. I just got that feeling that … That’s what’s going to happen.. we keep AP chargers get Harbaugh.. the Chiefs already got Andy Reid and the broncos got Sean Payton and between all the coaches in the division we got the one with the least experience and every year those teams in our division are fighting to see who wins the division while we’re in last place just trying at least be . 500 at the end of the year. But the players got their guy for HC and he can get them all amped up talking about how the raiders are tough and mean and physical but can’t tell them how to counter act what the other team is trying to do to them or make the right adjustments to defend what the other team is doing. But they know how to play like a Raider. Hope I’m wrong but I’ve been down this road with this team so many times and I can’t remember one time where the decisions mark Davis and others made worked out in our favor but yet the guy we was talking about hiring is on another team getting them ready for playoffs every year.
Man who cares who the chargers are gonna hire? They obviously make even worse decisions about who to hire ….look at their recent history as well. Not only that , while the “bowl cut” may make bad decisions wanting good results for his team – you can’t remember a decision working out? What about MD fired the McZigs? That seemed to be a success even if the team didn’t make the playoffs it sure seems like the team turned a corner and and we’ve seen them accomplish things I’ve never expected. Beating KC in KC, beating the breaks off the bolts which brings us back to their coaching vacancy ….who did that? MD✓AP✓, so stop worrying about the bolts and support the team we got and the coach thats gonna build this team into a successful contender for years to come . Go Raiders!
It actually does matter who the Chargers hire. Our Raiders gotta play them twice a year. Harbaugh will have about a 3 year scouting advantage on incoming draftees, seeing that he and his staff have been evaluating recruits up close and personal. Much like Pete Carroll when he joined the Seahawks. If Marc Davis sits by and allows a division rival to hire Harbaugh, it will be a failure to Raider Nation. We will be looking at 4th place finishes for the foreseeable future. You want the Raiders to dominate and contend for the title for the next decade? Harbaugh is a must hire.
Pierce has done an excellent job of motivating this Raiders team. In fact I think he has had a bigger impact on the defense than Graham. What we need is an experienced offensive coordinator to call the plays. I would suggest bringing back Olsen because he gets the most out of his quarterbacks and seems to be a strong believer in the short passing game. Problem is that he doesn’t run the ball often enough. O’Connell is the second best rookie QB behind Stroud as according to PFF. He should remain the starter. But he needs a coach.
Olsen what?? GTF outta hurrr!! It’s either Harbaugh or if we keep
AP and I would PG as well plus a decent O coordinator not Olsen or the raiders will suck for the next decade.
Olsen……………………….two times he was OC for the Raiders, I believe. What has he done.? Get out of here, man
The charges are lame and always will be why wouldn’t he go to a historic franchise like the raiders?
If he goes to the chargers he’s an idiot!
I love both Antonio Pierce and Jim Harbaugh. This is a really tough choice for Mark, really tough. The players want Pierce. Harbaugh is more proven running any program. Harbaugh I’m afraid would be the wisest choice in the long run. Having to play against him twice a year with the Chargers won’t help our cause at all! Peirce has changed the entire atmosphere in the locker room. Harbaugh’s winning record speaks volume’s and that’s at all levels. He was an NFL QB so knows offenses as well as anybody. The only reason he left the NFL and had some losses at the end was the 9ers changed ownership from Eddie D. to the totally inexperienced (at the time) York’s and they got rid of a bunch of the offensive players and expected the same results. Wasn’t going to happen. Point is his record would be even better if they kept the team intact. We’ll see what this week’s results are. Sure glad Davis has had a long, great relationship with him. But LA does have the advantage over us at QB.
Let’s not make the mistake again. Going after a name to coach is nonsense. Good writing for the Media. Let’s keep what we have now Coach Pierce, draft a QB b/ c Aiden is not the answer, get a DE and other defensive players.
Just Win Baby
Forget Harbaugh. Leav him alone— Too much money, too much control, too much ego, despite his coaching record- Let it Go Mark Davis! Stay away from Gruden again.
Give AP a chance on a 2 year contract with a performance option (the boys love him and probably won’t for Harbaugh); retain Marvin Lewis or Tom Coughlin (at least for the first year) as special associrte coaching consultants as AP’s mentors; keep and pay Patrick Graham to stay and not entertain seriously competing offers, and DEFINITELY replace Bo Hardegree with a solid, experienced OC or quarterbacks coach specialist.
That’s my take from a long suffering Raiders fan!
Well stated let’s hope Mark keeps track of his recent bad decisions so he doesn’t repeat them.
That makes way to much sense and would allow us to continue what we got now and into the future. Thats probably why Mark will hire Harbaugh. I think AP has a slight edge or more with Lewis and Coughlin as mentors and on the staff ?? That’s huge if you ask me. Three HC’s in one is the only way we can compete I. This division. Especially if Harbaugh goes to LA.
Why would anyone want to go to the shipwreck in Vegas? I guess he could get rich from the disaster in the desert. Davis will overpay him then he’ll fire him in two years and he’ll get an eighty million dollar parting gift like afew others before him.
I have much respect for what AP has done with the last 9 games. I know this roster is what was given to him and this is not his team he built. But… he was inconsistent even though he went 5-4. We lose to the Vikings 0-3, then win the Bolts 63-21. This score is misleading. Correct me if I’m wrong, Herbert, Ekelar and Allen did not play. They had a second string QB start. I’ll add this also, this team gave up on their HC. Did Bosa play with Mack? Ok, we beat the Chiefs, but man, lets be honest, this was not the Chiefs team from last year. We did ok, stopping Kelce, but that was a no brainer, since Mahommies didn’t have a WR to throw to, maybe Rice. We lose to the Colts, who has Minshew. What about a stat that no one seems to talk about…3rd quarter scoring. For the whole season, we scored a total of 46 points in the 3rd quarter. 14 points of those points came from our romp over the Bolts 63-21 in the 3rd quarter. I don’t know what that means to you, but it means to me, the HC was not able to adjust or adapt to how our opponent’s D was playing us in the 1st half. Plus, I agree, if we get Harbaugh, we won’t have to face him twice a season in our division. This will be a very difficult division we will have to face if we have to play against Reid, Sean Payton and Harbaugh. Take my word, Reid will reload for next year as will the Broncos. Harbaugh, if he goes to the Chargers, will be very competitive. I want Harbaugh, and I hope MD will see this post.
Raider for Life!!!