Raiders coach Antonio Pierce calls Raiders 'the worst team in football'
By Joe Lago
When owner Mark Davis decided to remove the interim tag and make Antonio Pierce the permanent head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, the former NFL linebacker still had plenty to learn about being a head coach.
Pierce reportedly leaned on the advice of Tom Coughlin, his former head coach on the New York Giants, and he has continued the on-the-job training this season, encountering much tougher challenges that can't be resolved with inspiring speeches that hearken back to the Raiders' heyday.
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A problematic quarterback room and an early rash of injuries to key defensive cogs quickly eroded the enthusiasm from Pierce's 5-4 finish to the 2023 season. The Raiders have lost seven straight games and sit in last place in the AFC West at 2-9. The fan base is more focused on the quick fixes that the 2025 NFL Draft might bring.
Apparently, Pierce was never informed by his mentors and confidants that you can never ever refer to your own squad as "the worst team in football," even figuratively. But that's exactly what happened Wednesday when he spoke to reporters two days before Vegas faces the rival Chiefs in Kansas City.
"Let's call a spade a spade," Pierce told reporters. "The best team in football against the worst team in football.
"Let's change the narrative, right? Let's go out there and make it a dogfight. Let's make it ugly. Let's make it scrappy. It's Black Friday. Let's create a little chaos. Let's get back to Raider football, and have some fun ... win or lose."
#Raiders HC Antonio Pierce on Friday's game vs. the Chiefs: "Let's call a spade a spade. Best team in football against the worst team in football. Let's change the narrative." pic.twitter.com/P9CCAaaCDa
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 27, 2024
What Pierce said wasn't meant to be taken literally. He was addressing the "narrative" of how great the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs still are and how bad his cellar-dwelling Raiders have become.
The problem is that Pierce's words will be taken literally, and while that might seem unfair, the unintended gaffe allows more mud to be slung at the Raiders, who've already endured enough embarrassment this season and the past two largely disappointing decades.
Moe, AP can't even do a press conference like a legit coach. He is a mess in all aspects. https://t.co/OEMXJ2K7Kg
— Evan Groat (@Egroat5) November 27, 2024
Even if Pierce attempts to walk back his words, it'll be too late. "Worst team in the football" has already been tattooed on the foreheads of Pierce, his coaching staff and his players — and Davis. And then there's the very real possibility of Patrick Mahomes finally getting payback for an ill-advised taunt during Raiders training camp.
Whenever Pierce and the Raiders part ways — and that moment feels much sooner with every defeat — Wednesday's sound bite will surely be included in the "highlights" package recapping his tenure with the Silver and Black.
It was all so hopeful when Pierce spurred hope with his "RAI-DERS!" chants last year. Sadly, it feels like the "worst" is yet to come for the coach and his team.
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