With just one game remaining in the season, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce is fighting for his job and the decision on his future is one that is going to be complicated.
Pierce is riding a two-game winning streak going into week 18 and there’s no question the team is still playing hard for their first-year head coach.
There have been several reports that Pierce’s future with the Raiders is in serious doubt, but a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero detailed one of the biggest challenges Pierce will face after the season.
Not only will Pierce have to explain a failed season to the decision-makers in the building, but he’ll also have to present a viable plan to fill some of the most important positions on his coaching staff.
“If Pierce gets a second season, he’ll have a lot of work to do with staff. He fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in early November, in addition to his quarterbacks and offensive line coaches — the three most important positions on the offensive staff,” Rapoport and Pelissero reported over the weekend.
“And sources say defensive coordinator Patrick Graham turned down a contract extension last offseason, making him a free agent. Interim OC Scott Turner would be a strong candidate for the full-time OC job.”
It’s no small detail that Graham turned down a contract extension last year. Coaching contracts are guaranteed, so he had an opportunity to guarantee 2-3 years of salary by accepting an extension.
Whatever his reasons might have been, Graham felt his best option was to leave his options open after the season.
What that means for Pierce is that he will be competing with the rest of the NFL for both of his coordinator positions, and anyone joining Pierce’s staff will be signing up for a lot of unknowns.
Even though Aidan O’Connell has played well in recent weeks, the Raiders don’t have a quarterback on the roster that will get the attention of the league’s top OC candidates and if Pierce is back next year, he will quickly become a lame duck head coach if the season gets off to a bad start.
The defensive coordinator position in Las Vegas is a lot more enticing than the OC role, but with Maxx Crosby’s Christmas Eve announcement, there’s no guarantee on long-term future of the Raiders’ best defensive player.
“There’s obviously a million conversations to be had. Like, it’s no secret, you know what I mean?” Crosby said on The Rush last week. “Like my contract situation, I have no more guaranteed money. There’s a lot of different things. Like obviously, you know, there’s going to be a lot of things that need to be talked about…”
“I’m not sitting here saying I got all the answers or I’m 100 percent right about everything. But at the end of the day, like my intentions are pure and like I want to win. And that’s all that matters to me… it’s been tough. You know what I mean? It’s been six years of inconsistency,” Crosby said.
“It’s new coaches every other year and this and this and that and new teammates. And there’s been plenty of times where I’m like ‘d—-, like this D-line is cold’ and then I come back and every single one of them is gone. You know what I mean? And it’s like, what the, you know what I mean? And then it just, there’s on and on and on. There’s a lot of things. So it’s just like, it’s tough, bro.”
Most believe Crosby will be back with the Raiders next year, but his situation most likely won’t be addressed before the Raiders have to make a decision on their next coaching staff.
And if it plays out that way, there will be one more factor to consider for anyone thinking about joining Pierce’s coaching staff.
One of the best-case scenarios for Pierce would be to get Graham on board for another season as soon as possible.
Keeping Graham in the building almost feels like a necessity for Pierce.
If Graham decides not to return to the Raiders, it’s hard to imagine Pierce will be able to find an upgrade at defensive coordinator.
And for that reason, Graham’s future in Las Vegas has the potential to be a big factor in Pierce’s future in Las Vegas.
x: @raidersbeat
If Patrick Graham doesn’t come back as DC, then Robert Saleh needs to become your next defensive coordinator. If that doesn’t happen then slide Marvin Lewis in at DC he’s already an assistant head coach.
Let him go!
He hasn’t helped this defense!
After the game with the chargers win, lose, or draw, blow the whole staff out. FIRE them all. Good riddance.
First of all good win at the saints… Offense has been way better with this Offensive Coordinator and o’Connell play has improved alot looking like the starter that should remain starter… as far as Defensive Coordinator goes if he doesn’t want to be a Raider thank you and good luck…that should go for all that don’t want to be a Raider… focus should be on the Chargers and how to close the season with a positive and a win over the Chargers… let’s see and evaluate its a home game … RAIDERS!!!
Either clean house after this season or wait until next off-season but you can’t fire AP and not Telesco as the GM failed at upgrading the QB room and failed at bringing back the offensive engine that was Josh Jacobs. Also whoever chose not to hire Kingsbury shouldn’t get to have a say in future choices. Should’ve we traded 3 1st rounders for J.Daniels? Easy to say yes now but the results look good in Washington. That’s on Telesco as well.
Well Mr Powers one game to go are you going to pay another gazzillion mahillion dollars for another washed up diva receiver and start over and over. The Raiders MOJO is hanging by a thread Mr Powers… no need to panic Mr Powers just need to pick a better GM and let the young players develop… Mr Powers your Biggest Mistake was leaving California for Vegas… Vegas is not a football town it’s a huge Amusement Park filled with Distractions and no homefield advantage… such a pity Mr Powers such a pity…but then i don’t have a gazillion dollars to throw around like you do do i Mr Powers…. RAIDERS!!! CALIFORNIA IS RAIDER NATION….