NFL: Antonio Pierce Has Been A Popular Name In Early Coaching Searches

We have had quite the week when it comes to NFL coaches and the vacancies that their firings have created. Three teams had fired their head coaches during the season and had interims finish out the year, and five more franchises have joined the list since the conclusion of the regular season last Sunday.

And as teams make their requests for interviews and begin the hiring process, Antonio Pierce has been one of the more talked-about names in the early going.

There Are Still 7 Head Coaching Vacancies In The NFL

From The Insiders on #NFLPlus: #Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce is in demand. pic.twitter.com/pfELLN4EJ5

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2024

This year’s talent pool of available coaches is one of the deepest that we’ve seen in recent memory. Bill Belichick of course heads the list, but Mike Vrabel is looking for a new team, and there is reason to believe that Jim Harbaugh is looking to make an NFL return. There are also the up-and-coming guys like Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik who might finally land head jobs this year.

But so far, it has been Antonio Pierce who has made some of the most headlines. He doesn’t have any full-season coaching experience, but took over the Las Vegas Raiders on an interim basis this past season, and the results were mostly positive. Pierce was able to turn the mood of the locker room around completely in a matter of just a couple of weeks, and the team had a winning record of 5-4 under his watch.

He did enough to win over some of the most important players on the team. Within the past week, both Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby have given their support for the Raiders to bring Pierce back on full-time, as the players are likely looking for consistency over anything else.

Titans Have An Interview Scheduled With Pierce

#HireAP

— 🦅MaddMaxx🦅 (@CrosbyMaxx) January 12, 2024

But the Titans have interest, too. Tennessee was one of the NFL teams to fire their head coach this week, letting go of Mike Vrabel in a move that may have come as a shock to some. But they haven’t wasted much time in requesting interviews, and one of them will be with Antonio Pierce and will take place over the weekend.

Crosby must have found out about the news, and took to his Twitter account to share his feelings on the situation again. The message was simple: “#HireAP”

The Titans will also meet with current Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. The Raiders have yet to schedule any interviews.