What doomed Antonio Pierce's tenure with the Raiders - ESPN

HENDERSON, Nev. — What a difference a year makes.

Cigar smoke and good vibes permeated the Las Vegas Raiders' locker room at Allegiant Stadium as legends such as Jim Plunkett, Charles Woodson, Ted Hendricks and Jim Otto joined the team following its win over the Denver Broncos in the 2023 season finale.

Finishing with a 3-1 flourish — including 3-0 against AFC West opponents in that stretch — to go 8-9 overall surely meant better times were ahead. Then-interim coach Antonio Pierce, who had tapped into the franchise's DNA as a guy who grew up a fan of the Silver and Black in Los Angeles, had won over a large portion of the fan base with his gritty style, making continuity key.

But the 2024 campaign ended in much less celebratory fashion, when Pierce was fired Tuesday after finishing 4-13 and last in the division. The Raiders are left looking for their fifth coach since 2021.

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Sunday's 34-20 loss to the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers wrapped up a disappointing campaign that included a 10-game losing streak and their first winless season against the AFC West since 2006. Victorious cigar parties were replaced by head-scratching and shoulder shrugs.

Pierce was elevated to full-time coach in 2024 after impressing Davis enough at the end of his interim stretch and garnering support from star players like edge rusher Maxx Crosby and receiver Davante Adams. Both campaigned enough for Pierce (Crosby even pseudo-threatened to request a trade if Pierce was not hired) that Davis did what he had not three years before — stick with the popular interim coach.

In 2021, after