Antonio Pierce’s bid to become the Raiders’ full-time coach couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.
Named Las Vegas’ interim coach after owner Mark Davis fired Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler on Tuesday, Pierce led the Raiders to a 30-6 win over the Giants, his former team, at home on Sunday.
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported earlier Sunday that Pierce has a chance to keep the job.
“That’s Mark Davis’ mindset,” Glazer said on “Fox NFL Sunday.”
The Raiders (4-5) lost a pair of road games to the Bears and Lions leading up to the firings.
In between, there was an Oct. 26 meeting in which Raiders players unleashed their frustrations on McDaniels, who according to NFL Network was much more reserved at practice after the “intense” meeting.
That meeting also included tension between McDaniels and Pierce after the fired coach asked Pierce to speak on his behalf to the players.
McDaniels was upset by Pierce referencing his Giants’ Super Bowl XLII win over McDaniels’ Patriots.
Pierce acknowledged to his players in a joyous postgame locker room on Sunday, “that s–t was rough the last two weeks,” but he’s embracing his new opportunity.
“Blank sheet, new chapter, we write our own script,” Pierce told his players. “That’s just one step.”
CBS Sports reported Sunday that the Raiders will be looking for a player-centric head coach, and that Tom Brady, whose deal to become a minority Raiders owner still hasn’t been approved by the NFL, will have a voice in the team’s searches for a new coach and general manager.
The Raiders host the Jets for “Sunday Night Football” on Nov. 12 before a road game against the Dolphins and a home tilt against the Chiefs.