Former Raiders head coach says quiet part out loud about team's outlook

Former Raiders head coach says quiet part out loud about team's outlook originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Las Vegas Raiders will miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season as they’ve already been eliminated from contention, and former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce doesn’t see that streak coming to an end anytime soon.

During a recent appearance on CBS' NFL Today, Pierce had some thoughts about the Raiders’ future that fans in Las Vegas probably aren’t going to like.

"They might need decades to fix this bad boy," Pierce said. "I'm just saying. One and done, one and done, one and done... is there another coach gone? Another coordinator? Listen, there's gonna be something I talk about a little later where everybody's pointing fingers. But at some point, point there and the thumb points back."

While probably not what Raiders fans wanted to hear, it’s tough to disagree with Pierce. At this point in time, the Raiders don’t seem to be anywhere close to returning to contention as major changes are needed up and down the organization. After all, this is a team that hasn’t won a single playoff game since 2002 and has only played in two playoff games since then.

At the same time, Pierce’s comments probably should be taken with a grain of salt, as Pierce could still hold some ill will about the Raiders firing him after the 2024 season.

Moving on from coaches has become a bit of a trend for Las Vegas, though. The Raiders have had five head coaches since 2020 – Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia, Josh McDaniels, Pierce and Pete Carroll, and their current coach, Carrolll, is reportedly on the hot seat.

It’s certainly not an organization that has a ton of stability at this point in time. Until they figure that part out and find some stability from top down, Pierce’s prediction of extended struggles will likely prove accurate.