Prior to being promoted from linebackers coach to NFL head coach with the Las Vegas Raiders—an unlikely promotion, no doubt—Antonio Pierce had limited head coaching experience. He had directed the program at Long Beach Poly High School and worked with Herm Edwards at Arizona State, but he had never been the head coach of an NFL football team before. Pierce sought advice from a mentor, former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, after taking over as interim coach of the Raiders.
Now that he is the Raiders’ permanent head coach, Pierce is turning to Lewis, who coached the Bengals for 16 years and had a record of 131-122-3. Lewis first rose to prominence as a defensive coach in Baltimore, when his Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2001.
Lewis was Washington’s defensive coordinator in 2002, and he coached Antonio Pierce, a second-year linebacker.
As NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero stated on Twitter/X: “As Antonio Pierce hires staff in Las Vegas, former #Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is expected to be there.” Pierce hired Lewis, who had previously coached him in Washington, to assist him after being appointed interim head coach. Lewis is now expected to be on staff in a more formal manner.
Raiders Antonio Pierce Staff is Still Undefined
Lewis’ function is yet to be determined. Pierce is only starting to work on his staff, which is being assisted by another of his former coaches, Giants icon Tom Coughlin. Pierce has one of the best defensive coordinators in the industry in Patrick Graham, and the Raiders are focused on keeping him, since an opposing team was refused the opportunity to interview him for a promotion this summer.
The arrival of Lewis could make Graham uneasy, as he directed a team defense that may have been the most improved from the start to the end of the season. If Pierce could get both of those minds to work together and in harmony on the team’s defense, he would go a long way toward cementing the Raiders’ reputation as a defense-first team.
Offensive Coordinator Remains a Big Question
Pierce has a lot more issues to answer on the offensive side of the ball, where the Raiders were a disaster at their worst and merely average at their best. It has been rumored that interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree will not return, which makes sense given the 3-0 loss to the Vikings in Week 16.
Pierce will have several solid alternatives available. Kliff Kingsbury, Eric Bieniemy, Alex Van Pelt, and Frank Reich are all on the market.
It will be fascinating to see how much effect Coughlin has. As NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo noted on Twitter/X: “Next steps for the #Raiders: Hire a GM and expand Pierce’s coaching staff.” Tom Coughlin, who consulted for Pierce this season, will be among those assisting him in identifying and hiring assistants.
