Raiders' Adams on firings -- 'It was time for some sort of change' - ESPN

HENDERSON, Nev. — It was a different vibe at the Las Vegas Raiders facility Thursday, when the team held its first practice under interim coach Antonio Pierce.

From warming up to the musical stylings of seminal rap group N.W.A.'s «Straight Outta Compton» to All-Pro receiver Davante Adams taking running back Ameer Abdullah to school in the locker room's new mini-basketball hoop to offensive linemen wrestling each other WWE style to even, yes, a new starting quarterback in rookie Aidan O'Connell, it was a new day.

All less than 48 hours after the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler as coach and general manager, respectively, and replaced them with Pierce and Champ Kelly.

«Don't get it confused,» Adams cautioned. «It's not a celebration that we have a new coach and there's been changes made. We, obviously, think it was time, one way or the other, it was time for some sort of change. Just to bring a little juice in and revitalize the team a little bit. So, I think that's kind of the mindset we're having, just trying to have fun and enjoy our time in this building because I think as we speak to each other, it's been too much of, this has just been feeling like work too much and not having enough fun.»

Adams went on to thank McDaniels and Ziegler for trading for him.

«As I've said countless times, I want to be a Raider,» Adams added. «So I want to try to make this work and do everything I can to keep it going now.»

Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby also thanked McDaniels for pushing him to be a better leader but added that he simply wanted to win.

«I want to be in a great environment,» Crosby said. «I want to show up to work every single day and feel great energy. I feel like that's more important than anything. At