After the end of last season, Antonio Pierce felt like a breath of fresh air for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Taking over for maligned former head coach Josh McDaniels in Week 8 in 2023, Pierce did a fine job steadying the ship. He amassed a 5-4 record at the helm, including big divisional wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Christmas Day upset of the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders looked invested in Pierce’s success far more than they ever had with McDaniels, and it was no surprise when they named him the full-time head coach on Jan.