A week ago, it looked like Antonio Pierce was close to being a lock to get the Raiders’ full-time job as head coach.
But after a 23-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the door might have cracked open a bit for two prominent names that have been linked to the Raiders for weeks.
An NFL Network report on Sunday brought up Jim Harbaugh and Jon Gruden, and we know both have strong ties to Raiders owner Mark Davis…
“Owner Mark Davis has told people close to him that he’s increasingly impressed by interim head coach Antonio Pierce, who is 4-3 since replacing Josh McDaniels — including a 20-14 triumph last week at Kansas City.
Superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby and other players have been effusive in their praise for Pierce, and several members of the extended Raiders family have reached out to Davis to express their support as well. But Pierce is not a slam dunk for the job.
Davis is a believer that you need a big name in Las Vegas, and his two coaches there so far (Jon Gruden and McDaniels) fit the bill. Who could it be this time? Bill Belichick is certainly one if he becomes available, though it’s hard to imagine a return to the Patriot Way would play well in the locker room after McDaniels’ 9-16 stint. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, a former Raiders assistant coach, would qualify. And Davis still loves Gruden, who hasn’t taken a full-time coaching role since his resignation from the Raiders in 2021.”
The report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero was notable because it said Pierce was not a “slam dunk” to get the job, and that was before the Raiders lost to the Colts.
It’s all conjecture at this point, but if Pierce doesn’t get the Raiders’ job, it would seem like Harbaugh is positioning himself for a serious run at it.
Because of NCAA violations, it feels like a foregone conclusion that Harbaugh will leave the University of Michigan after the season, and his connections to Davis and Tom Brady should not be ignored.
Brady isn’t a part of the Raiders’ ownership group yet, but there might not be anyone in the football universe that Davis is fonder of than Brady.
As for Gruden, his odds of getting the Raiders’ head coaching job are probably below Pierce and Harbaugh, but a lot can happen in a matter of weeks. Harbaugh has other teams interested in him and Pierce could lose the pole position if the Raiders fall to the Broncos in the last week of the season.
twitter: @raidersbeat
AP has brought back the Raider culture. I think with a better OC and a new QB the Raiders become very competitive. Please no to Gruden, I still cringe on the draft picks Gruden made.
Maybe you should take a look at All of the Gruden draft picks on this team!!! You really don’t pay attention… you just rehash and mumble shiite that others have authored. BTW… on top of the star players that are currently performing for the Raiders there are Many others starting for Other teams in the NFL and doing Well… wake up!!!
Gruden’s player personal management was definitely a mixed bag. He had great draft picks in Maxx , Colton, JJ, Hunter, then Diablo and Koontz ( maybe). But also some reach bombs with Leatherwood, Ruggs( CeeDee Lamb duh) , Farrel ( Allen) , a known troubled Ohio State CB, among others in later rounds that He eventually got rid of. He traded Mack and Cooper… traded picks for total Raider busts Antonio Brown and Matavis Bryant. Plus he never drafted a QB or attempted to sign a real replacement for Carr…an inconsistent middle of the league QB. Said no to Brady coming evidently. He did sign Daren Waller who was great when healthy. So big picture , pretty mediocre like the Raiders have been for years and his overall coaching record. But Gruden was great on MNF and that QB show on ESPN … and 20 plus years ago as coach of the raiders under Al not Mark Davis
Dude gruden fking sucked at drafting. So idk wtf you talking about. Yeah he did hit on a few picks. Those players you talking about that gruden drafted that are on other teams… I don’t know of any that’s starting. Some are even on practice squads.. while there are some that rotate in and out of games.. like Arden key.. Clellin Ferrell. So yeah maybe you need to do your research before you talk ish to another muthafker. Dudes like you kill me when y’all act like gruden was a beast at drafting.. when **** near everyone of his first round picks are either out the league or are back ups on other squads. You a fking joke if you ask me fking clown
No way in hell can you honestly be thinking Jon Gruden for the head coach of the Raiders. I can’t believe it’s even a thought!! I’ve been a Raiders fan all my life and the thought of Jon Gruden having anything to do with Raiders makes me sick and completely disappointed
At least he has a winning record just like Jim Harbaugh. AP had his chance and blew it. So he loss just Mcdaniels to same Head Coach Jeff Saturday he beat Mcdaniels and now AP not good predicted when AP took over his record would 7-10 not good enough. Jim or Gruden well get us back to Playoffs for the first time.
Well said Mr L
I’m All For RAA-DER HARBAUGH… a proven over and over again self made winner as a head coach and leader of men. Kind of an odd ball, rebel too …. has always had RAA-DER written all over him. Also , you can’t let the bolts hire him… kill two bolts with one contract. Nothing against AP , he is a RAA-DER too. Just think the Raiders need an experienced self made winner running the show. Maybe AP can stay on as assistant head coach or D coordinator if Graham decides to take another job. AP has done a good job filling in …BUT the offense has continued to be a big problem , granted that’s on the rookie not mobile qb too. The Giants, jets, Vikings, chargers were terrible and chiefs are clearly having problems this year.
Gruden…. No Way, No How!! … been there , done that. He can’t “shop for the groceries” and has only been a winner with other peoples teams… Al Davis’ and then Tony Dungy’s . He is better in the tv booth than running a team.
Harbaugh is going to the Chargers. He loves Herbert, they fired their GM and will get more say than usual, coached in SD and knows the Spanos well and has a home in Coronado in SD where his Daughter lives so it’s a little closer to her.
We see Ray….No state tax in Nevada, Harbaughs wife is from Vegas, he can draft JJ MaCarthy or Penix, his first coaching job was for Al Davis, he was close with John Madden, the private jet fight from Vegas to Coronado is probably faster than the drive from LA.,..plus he just seems more like a Raider than a Charger. The main problem I see for the Raiders is all this blown money on McDaniels and Gruden. … that has to be a factor against them going big again. But like I said you can’t let the chargers get harbaugh. Because it’s then Reid, Payton , Harbaugh , and AP… nothing against AP but that’s an experience and success mismatch… especially offensively.
His wife is from Missouri. Spent her childhood there is then went to LA to try and be an actress. Then went to Vegas and that’s where he met her. Imo that has no bearing on it. I anyxase sure he can draft those guys but Herbert is the real deal. McCarthy isn’t going to be Herbert in the NFL.
We’ll see. Been hearing they have been talking and already been discussing a deal but they ha e to do the Rooney bullshit first.
Id be stunned if he went with Mark Davis. Dude is an idiot.
Vegas is new and hot for sports right now and LA is not … outside of Ohtani. Maybe he and his wife have fond memories of the place, there is a connection more so than LA. But again No State Taxes , that’s huge on these big contracts.
I will add another one for you in the
RAY-DERS column Ray …. Tom Brady , the Michigan connection and he knows Harbaugh well. Harbaugh just hired Brady’s agent. Brady and Davis are buddies and owners together as you know. Brady wanted to play for the RAY-DERS, but Gruden said no. My thought is Brady is gonna help deliver RAY-DER Harbaugh.
I agree Herbert has talent but it hasn’t resulted in much of anything. He has gotten hurt the last few years and is getting paid $50 million per and the bolts have cap trouble. If I were the bolts I trade Herbert to the bears for the number one pick and take Caleb Williams and hire Lincoln Riley and good D-Coordinator. Maybe then they can get some usc fans rooting for them at their games instead of RAY-DERS fans rooting against them.
I don’t want McCarthy either but that might be part of the Harbaugh/Brady deal. From what I have seen this year I would go with Penix with their first pick . Watch him beat Harbaugh and Michigan on Monday night .
Mark Davis isn’t a football guy , he admits it. But people seem to like him in the business and he has done well on the business side of the sport. Just a hunch but I’m thinking Harbaugh was fonder of Al Davis than Mr Spanos .
We see if Davis wants to spend the Big Cash AGAIN and go against his players wishes. If he does ,Harbaugh is a RAY-DER.
Man I totally agree. I think AP is a great motivator but he’s not that experienced in other things it takes to be a HC. I’ve already seen him make a couple questionable decisions in games that actually cost us and we lost. You can only get by with getting the team hyped to play a game so far. We need harbaugh. He’s a proven winner everywhere he’s been. He even got that bum kaperknick to play half way decent and that team went to a super bowl. I just feel like we need a coach that has been doing it at a high level for a while. AP is a great dude and I’d love to see him stay with the team in some capacity just not the HC. I think we should keep Champ Kelly. I think he’s going to be a beast at GM. Just hope Mark Davis does what’s best for the organization and not what a few of the players want. I just feel like if AP gets the job that within 3yrs we will be looking for another HC cause AP can’t get us over that hump. Yeah I think he can get us to win some games but when those good teams come up and it’s one of those games that one or two bad decisions throughout the game would cost us a loss. We need someone who actually knows how to write up game plans for opponents and who can make adjustments throughout a game by seeing what the other team is trying to do. AP I feel isn’t that type HC yet those things come with experience. But I’m going to support whoever our coach is. Cause I just want us to be a winning team so fking bad.
Vegas is new and hot for sports right now and LA is not … outside of Ohtani. Maybe he and his wife have fond memories of the place, there is a connection more so than LA. But again No State Taxes , that’s huge on these big contracts.
I will add another one for you in the
RAY-DERS column Ray …. Tom Brady , the Michigan connection and he knows Harbaugh well. Harbaugh just hired Brady’s agent. Brady and Davis are buddies and owners together as you know. Brady wanted to play for the RAY-DERS, but Gruden said no. My thought is Brady is gonna help deliver RAY-DER Harbaugh.
I agree Herbert has talent but it hasn’t resulted in much of anything. He has gotten hurt the last few years and is getting paid $50 million per and the bolts have cap trouble. If I were the bolts I trade Herbert to the bears for the number one pick and take Caleb Williams and hire Lincoln Riley and good D-Coordinator. Maybe then they can get some usc fans rooting for them at their games instead of RAY-DERS fans rooting against them.
I don’t want McCarthy either but that might be part of the Harbaugh/Brady deal. From what I have seen this year I would go with Penix with their first pick . Watch him beat Harbaugh and Michigan on Monday night .
Mark Davis isn’t a football guy , he admits it. But people seem to like him in the business and he has done well on the business side of the sport. Just a hunch but I’m thinking Harbaugh was fonder of Al Davis than Mr Spanos .
We see if Davis wants to spend the Big Cash AGAIN and go against his players wishes. If he does ,Harbaugh is a RAY-DER.
Hopefully team can retain Pierce & Graham. Gruden would always be viewed by fans as max racist and a blow hard – Raiders do do need a great QB – O’Connel is a STATUE & could have moved about to allow receivers time to get open, but he just stands there
Tell me exactly how is gruden a racist. Cause he said Demaurice Smith had Michelin tires for lips? That’s not racist it’s a fking joke. But I guess black people hear a white person joke on a black person and automatically think they’re racist. That’s a bunch of BS. Black people always hollering racism when the situation isn’t even racist is getting old. Cause for real truth be told black people are some of the most racist people in this country. Black people I notice hate to think a white person is better than them at something.. they hate to give respect to white people cause I guess they feel like they giving in and kissing the white man’s azz. I no I give anyone respect no matter what race they are until they show me disrespect then I just won’t give them no respect back. Plus I grew up in a city that is 85% black and throughout growing up and going to school I’ve seen black people jump white kids.. steal their things.. joke on them crack on their white girlfriend and be quick to holler a racial slur at a white person if they have a disagreement. Not saying all blacks are that way just like there are racist white people. My whole thing is **** ain’t called even in this country. They try to make you feel like it’s only white people that are racist and that black people are the only ones that are victims of racism. Plus the media and Hollywood and politicians try to paint this picture that white people are all racist and evil. Try to get people to look down on white people and hate them. They try to keep us divided. I guess what my point is that not only white people can be racist and that it’s a lot of racist black people in this country. Not everyone is blind and is falling for the BS that the media or whoever is trying to push. Just like how the news only shows when a cop kills a black person but never do you see when a cop kills a white person when it’s more white people killed by cops every year than any other race. **** like that is trying to brainwash people into believing that cops and white people and other non black people hate blacks. Don’t fall for the okie doke they pushing. Pay attention and you will realize real quick who is the enemy in this country is and trust me it’s not white or black people or even immigrants. It’s those suit wearing lying cheating corrupt fkers up in Washington DC.
Great post, I agree
Please no Gruden. Or Belichick (what a horrifying idea). Pierce has the support of the locker room, and he’s been effective. The games they’ve lost have many positives. We need a good draft and then let Pierce do his thing. Do we want to make the playoffs in 2024? Pierce is the best answer. For that reason, I favor Pierce over Harbaugh. We’ve already seen way too much runaway ego with McDaniels. Choose a coach who pays more attention to his team than to his reputation—and that is Pierce.
Deep! Nailed it!
Once again not fact all speculation and all will never happen! Harbaugh is going nowhere and is not an NFL coach! Gruden is enjoying his free money on the couch! Go back to your rumor starting fantasy land and come back when you have facts!
There you go again. Mr fking no it all. Why don’t you kick rocks dude and carry your don’t know **** azz. Don’t nobody wanna keep hearing you cry like a biotch about everything that is written in these articles. If you no so **** much then start writing your own articles. That’s if you smart enough you ignorant fk.
Why pay the money for a “big coach?” Bill Belichick is a has-been who can’t do anything with his current team, and Harbaugh will want $150 Million plus…For what? If Mark Davis still needs to figure it out, I suggest he sell the team. He’s flushed away so much money that could have been spent on rebuilding the team. Pierce has done fine. Perhaps replace Hardegree. Pierce is the man, and he has the players behind him.
Use the money to build the team on the field, not the sidelines. We have a long list of needs.
Jim Harbaugh end of story!
All you young raider fans don’t know Jack **** talking about bringing harbough in ….that’s bullshit…. Pierce has those boys playing like the autumn wind raiders….if you young punks dont know …..go watch the video and you will known who Antonio Pierce is…Davis don’t **** this up…don’t go for that shiny turd harbough …he has no raider in him… players says it all….don’t **** this one again
Larry.. who the hell said your opinion is best for the team. Not everyone is on the nuts of Pierce like you are. So evidently you must be the punk.. cause you **** sure slurping on AP ****. Why don’t you hire AP to punk your azz out boy. Cause for real you sound like a biotch. I hope Mark Davis does hire harbaugh just so it can piss your punk azz off. You need to check your mouth before you go around calling people punks . Cause you just might find yourself getting up off the ground cause some punk done fked your biotch azz up. Ok tough guy. Fking POS
Come on guys… play nice!!
Karl..that is such a very uninformed opinion. Herberts 50 mil don’t kick in till the 2025 season. He has been injured the past two seasons. 80% of then starting QBs have been injured this season including yours lol.
Yee also has ties to then Chargers so it has nothing to do with him being Brady’s agent. Harbaugh also has more ties to the Chargers than he does to Vegas.
He was a Charger for one thing. Knows the owners well. Coached at USD and used to go to the Chargers facility often then owners offered to help him out there. Again, his wife also lived there for a time as well before she lived in Vegas.
You are going to be disappointed is all ill say. But Trade Herbert and hire Lincoln Riley? Terrible ideas. Lol,…Riley isn’t a NFL caliber HC for one. Maybe the Raiders can hire him when Harbaugh takes the Chargers job since youmtuink highly of him.
I get the no state taxes. I live in Vegas as well so that is one cool thing but he is already loaded and they could just compensate him a little more to offset it. Same thing they do with FAs.
**** straight it is Ray …just an opinion and having some fun with ya . Are you an “insider” bolt fan in Vegas on a RAY-DER forum ? Crazy 😉
Herbert 50 mill is gonna kick in before Caleb Williams $70 mill would and the chargers are in cap trouble going into 24 as it is. Send us Mack Back ? Can you imagine Maxx and Mack going after not much proven yet and injury prone Herbert…” incoming !”
Ya sure but it has to do with Brady … the GOAT Ray. Chargers don’t have that kinda swag in their corner, but I like Dan Fouts . Bolts Known to be cheap with coaches on top of it.
Yes he was a charger briefly at the end of his career… but Al Davis gave him his first coaching job , he knows Mark well , and him and Madden were close. Plus he wanted to head the raiders before. I’m going with that over the team Spanos connection .
Not a Riley or USC fan , but there is your LA/USC /Caleb connection to help draw in some more and NEW fans … and frankly Caleb Williams might be better than Herbert is right now … cheaper for years that’s for sure .
Taxes are taxes … nobody likes them … always a factor in these deals.
I will give the bolts this advantage, they don’t have a locker room favorite like AP already in place and wanting the permanent job … and he will be a much cheaper option than Harbaugh… also a factor here imo.
Absolutely , if they have one chance in a thousand to get Jim Harbaugh , you back the armored truck to him and hand him the keys ! Done deal ! He’s won with everything he’s ever had ! He’ll make the team a powerhouse ! The management at the 49 ers didn’t want to do neither ! Al loved him !
AMEN!!!!
I say the same thing. Get harbaugh in the building. Nothing against AP but to me all he is .. is a good hype man. He don’t know how to make adjustments throughout the game.. he don’t know what to do in certain game situations.. he’s just really good at pumping the players up to go out and play. Playing with emotion like that is going to get you only so far. Harbaugh now has been doing the coaching thing for many years and has experience and can adjust to how a team is trying to play us. Plus the dude has literally won everywhere he’s been. AP needs a few more yrs coaching under a good HC before he’s ready to take over a team. But I’m almost positive Mark Davis is going to give the job to AP. If he does Mark my words harbaugh will probably end up with the Chargers or another team and I’ll bet harbaugh will take the Chargers and make them a playoff team and serious contenders for the Superbowl while AP has us going .500 every year. All because the players I feel are more less going to pressure Mark Davis into hiring AP.
Please god, just don’t let it be Pierce. Bill or Harbaugh would be good choices. We need to get O’Connell and Pierce out of here, even McVisor would have been better. If we didn’t start O’Connell, we would probably be in the playoffs. McVisor built a solid team, he just couldn’t coach it. The coaching and scheming is still garbage, we could be a decent team. Pierce and O’Connell are not the answer. Please don’t let us waste another year on either of these.
You sound like you have a personal problem with AP lol
I’m with bro. I like AP I just feel like he don’t have enough experience in coaching yet. I’d rather have a proven HC that has been coaching for a while and who has actually won everywhere he’s been.
The players love A.P. and they will follow and play hard for him. He is a rookie head coach and is learning to be a HC. All rookies make mistakes and Gruden, Harbaugh, Belichick were all rookies, too.
In my opinion, Belichick and Gruden are from a prior era. Harbaugh is still young and innovative. He is also a proven winner. The question is whether he is a unifying force if he supplants Pierce.
Locker room solidarity is extremely important. As much as I like Harbaugh, I’d stick with Pierce.
Not Gruden. The Raiders are much improved (again) after a high profile high dollar doofus screwed up the chemistry in the locker room and then made a mid-season exit. Does Mark even use his noggin for rational thought?
Do what it takes to get Harbaugh in LV. He is a winner and the best coach we’ve had since John Madden and Tom Flores. Pierce has done ok, but his play calling and game preparations have been questionable, along with clock management. Our offense remains predictable. Trade D. Adams to the Jets to get a 1st and a second pick as he is frustrated again. Let Josh Jacobs go, good riddance, as he is not worth 12 million. Here is another idea, BUILD THE TRENCHES ON THE O AND D LINE.
Harbaugh. He wins wherever he goes.
Gruden sucks, loses everywhere, unless someone first builds a great team for him (Davis or Dungy).
AP is a great guy and may very well be a full-time HC in the NFL someday… just not in 2024.
PIERCE!!! New!! EXCITING !!!
The only coach I want is Antonio Pierce. He’s the coach the players love and the coach I love.
Absolutely not Gruden. Too old school. Every time Carr had chemistry with a receiver, that receiver would be gone the next year.
Just look at there 1st round draft picks the last 6 years. Horrible!!! Only a couple still on team.
Definitely a running qb. It’s a sign of the times these days in NFL!! Aiden is a backup. I like the kid but he can’t move to extend plays.
A.P. is a straight up RAIDER!!! The players absolutely play for this guy. The whole culture has changed in and off the field. I haven’t seen this team rally for a coach since Bissacia. Hopefully Davis doesn’t screw this up for another failed big name!!
And Harbaugh isn’t going anywhere!!!
The players are listings to the man they know who may take them where they want to go. Not That Harbaugh, Belichick, or Gruden can fix what the RAIDERS need is help and they got it, AP and let him work with Jimmy G. He doesn’t have that McDuff on his back anymore with all his lies or take on he played for Seattle and the Bronco at one point.
Harbaugh has a reputation for working his players hard ( long practices and McDaniel-length meetings) which works for a 10 or 12 game college season but may not work with the newer 17 game NFL season. After a great start in San Francisco he eventually lost the locker room. The rumour was the players were ground down mentally and physically. Even ownership grew tired of him. I’m for Pierce getting another season with both a new quarterback and offensive coordinator.
I prefer AP, as many of our players and alumni prefer.
I Love Jon Gruden, but he was not the same coach the second time around and we need a strong leader
like AP right now.
Harbaugh is a good coach, but a terrible human being as he has proven over and over again!!!
Robert Hawkins the best NFL hire need
I can get it done
Let’s bring in Hill Wr
Let’s get Holmes Rb
Qb Richardson
Qb Cunningham
Draft Caleb from USC
#77 ol Dallas
#5 ss Miami
Lb Mack
Dl Louis Akeena
I’m from Oakland and I love the raiders team. We no how to be tough and that’s what we need. The defense is getting better, just need a line backer and a safety. Also a tough QB who likes to Win games.
Come on guys… play nice
Don’t know how this forum popped up now that I think about it. It just did. I really should stop replying lol. I will after this.
Now let me laugh at the Caleb may be better than Herbert right now. Dude hasn’t played an NFL snap. I like him, but don’t think he is going to step right in and light it up. He gonna have his troubles as he had this season in college.
Mack? He said he almost retired after last season. May do it this season., we’ll see.
Charger fans want to keep him, trade Bosa and probably Mike Williams. OC Linsley may have to retire as well.
Cap issue isn’t that big a deal. Just cut or trade a few. New Orleans has this Problem every year on a even bigger scale and they still signed Carr to a big contract and paid Winston 8 mil to be a backup lol.
We’ll see how it goes with Harbaugh. Don’t think Brady is a factor at all and been seeing he really wants the Chargers job a lot and wanted it last year but Spanos didnt fire Staley so he announced he was going back to Michigan. What I’ve read anyways.
We’ll find out soon enough.
Yes we will Ray … I actually like the bolts much better than the donkeys and Chefs . Their uni’s are All Time !
I said Caleb Might be better right now. If I were drafting both in the same year , I’m taking Caleb ahead of Herbert. Mahomes was pretty good from the get go and Caleb looks like Mahomes JR to me. CJ Stroud had a better year than Herbert this year.
Piece out RAY-DER