Antonio Pierce was given a tough opportunity last week as he was named interim coach of the Raiders after coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler were fired on Oct. 31.
Despite all the chatter, Pierce led the Raiders to a 30–6 win over the Giants in his first game as a head coach. This wasn’t just Pierce’s first win as the Raiders’ coach, but it was also quarterback Aidan O’Connell’s first win as a starter.
After the game, O’Connell spoke highly of the interim coach.
“He did a great job,” O’Connell said, via Pro Football Talk. “It was a hard situation, a short week, an unfortunate situation that he took full advantage of. He’s a guy with strong convictions and you can feel his intensity when he talks. Guys believe in him and we just, all around, offense, defense, special teams, did a really good job executing.”
What a BOMB from Aidan O’Connell 🚀
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 5, 2023
pic.twitter.com/SEzgbpRUcH
O’Connell wasn’t the only Raiders player hyped up about Pierce’s leadership. The entire Las Vegas locker room seemed cheerful as the team indulged in celebrations with cigars and loud music.
The rookie quarterback earned his second start of the season after the Raiders decided to bench Jimmy Garoppolo. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 209 yards on Sunday.
Pierce will likely stay as the Raiders coach for the rest of the 2023 season, but his future with the team is unknown after the season ends.
