The popular belief around the Raiders right now is that Antonio Pierce and Jim Harbaugh are at the top of the team’s wish list to be their next coach.
Harbaugh has deep ties to owner Mark Davis, while Pierce has won over the locker room and fan base since being named interim head coach in October.
Both choices make sense for the Raiders.
But are their other names that Davis might be intrigued by?
According to Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer, Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick ate thought to be on the owners’ radar, possibly even ahead of Pierce…
“I think the Raiders take a swing at Harbaugh. And I think if they can’t land a big fish like Vrabel, Harbaugh or Belichick, then they probably stick with Antonio Pierce.”
As for the Raiders’ GM vacancy, Breer believes Ed Dodd is a strong candidate for the job, and he could be the preferred pick if Harbaugh is the coach they want…
“[The Raiders] loved Ed Dodds two years ago when they interviewed him for their GM job, and so he’s in a strong position going into his interview there, regardless of what happens with the coach. But that he has the connection to Harbaugh doesn’t hurt.”
For what it’s worth, which isn’t much, only about 2 percent of fans on X (Twitter) want to see the Raiders coached by someone other than Pierce or Harbaugh (although the poll was taken prior to Vrabel being fired)…
twitter: @raidersbeat
If Mark Davis doesn’t hire the coach that is making the machine work, I’m done with him as an owner, AP has this team finally on the right track, headed in the right direction, with an off-season, and a draft, a few staff tweaks and I think the RAIDERS will be contenders! I think Harbaugh’s time for the RAIDERS has come and gone, maybe if he was available when Mcdoofus was hired, that would’ve been the time to grab him, but Coach AP has pluse of the locker room and he should be allowed to finish what he’s started, he’s earned thst much
If MD hires Verbal or Belichic I’m done! You have a Coach who has the locker room and will only get better, only other option is you hire Harbaugh and he agrees to keep AP as his coordinator. I’m so over MD making horrible decisions for this team.
Definitely not Belichick, that would destroy the Raiders locker room and he only won on Brady’s coattails!
Davis will f it up, he believes he’s smarter than everyone else, he’s no Al.
Vrabel may not be a bad choice but Davis better not even think about Belichick. No more Patriot anything for the Raiders. I was against it before, and still am. As far as GM’s go I think once the Patriot boys were relieved that Kelly made some nice moves.
I would like to see AP stay with the team although I would like to see him learn more first before getting the HC position.With that said I would be fine with it if we couldnt land Harbaugh or Vrabel. We for sure need an infusion of talent especially at QB. Let AOC compete with a top draft pick and dont trade for Fields or frieaking Wilso as others have suggested please.
One thing I will say about all of this is while all these patriot guys from Josh McDaniels to Mike Vrabel to now Bill Belichick are all losers to Antonio peers. I don’t understand the hype makes no sense.