Sources: Raiders working to finalize deal with Antonio Pierce - ESPN

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders are working to finalize a deal to hire Antonio Pierce as their head coach, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday.

Raiders owner Mark Davis elevated Pierce from linebackers coach to interim coach following the Halloween night firings of coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler and Pierce, along with interim G.M. Champ Kelly, changed the culture of the Raiders locker room overnight.

Following the Raiders' season-ending 27-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, Davis told ESPN he was «really excited» about the job Pierce did in leading the team to a 5-4 finish after he took over.

Besides finishing with a winning record, the Raiders also went 3-1 in the AFC West under Pierce, including scoring a franchise-record 63 points against the Los Angeles Chargers, and beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium for only the second time since 2013.

When Davis first promoted Pierce, who had never been a head coach above the high school level, Davis told ESPN he did not want Pierce to necessarily «coach,» so much as «lead» and «delegate.»

The Raiders played a cleaner, stingier and more focused game after Pierce took over.

Consider: under Pierce, the Raiders led the NFL in fewest points allowed per game (16.0), defensive touchdowns (4) and fewest penalties (31) while having the 10th-most takeaways (14), fourth in point differential (+62) and being tied for 3rd in sacks (30) from Week 9 through the end of the season.

He also, Davis said at the time, «understands the culture of the Raiders, and that's important to me.»

Growing up in Compton outside of Los Angeles a huge fan of not only the Raiders when they called L.A. home but also local seminal rap group N.W.A, which was