Who is Antonio Pierce? Las Vegas Raiders appoint interim coach after Josh McDaniels’ dismissal

Las Vegas Raiders recently named Antonio Pierce as head coach and Champ Kelly as general manager in place of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, who had been fired.

After working as McDaniels’ linebackers coach this season and the previous, Pierce takes over as head coach. Before joining the Raiders, Pierce worked for Herm Edwards at Arizona State as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He also has a nine-year NFL linebacker career under his belt.

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Champ Kelly has been the Raiders’ assistant general manager for the past two seasons. He spent seven years with the Bears and eight years with the Broncos before coming to the Raiders. Between the trade deadline and the conclusion of the regular season, a general manager’s duties may decrease, but for the next two months, Kelly will be leading the team.

The Raiders officially announced that after the current season ends, they would thoroughly look for a new general manager and head coach.

Who is Antonio Pierce?

Las Vegas Raiders recently named Antonio Pierce as head coach after the dismissal of Josh McDaniels. Pierce had a great nine-year career as a linebacker in the NFL, which culminated in a 2007 Super Bowl championship with the New York Giants.

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In 2017, Pierce started his coaching career at Arizona State University, where he first coached linebackers. In 2020, he was promoted to associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. Later, in 2022, he became the linebackers coach for the Raiders.

In the NFL, Pierce is well-liked and well-known for his everlasting passion and energy for the game. His reputation as an exceptional coach and player is largely attributed to his outstanding leadership and communication abilities.

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On October 31, 2023, the Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, and Pierce was named interim head coach.