Antonio Pierce has a bunch of supporters, as was obvious in the lead-up to him being officially promoted full-time head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. But not everyone strongly believes in him. Former NFL executive and general manager Michael Lombardi is seemingly expressing doubt about his vision for the franchise.
Specifically, he is taking issue with Pierce's interpretation of the “Raider Way.”
“The Raider Way isn't a word,” the three-time Super Bowl champion said on The GM Shuffle with Michael Lombardi and Femi Abebefe, via X user cmv10. “It's about, this is the prototype of the player we want at this position, this is the prototype of the player we want at that position…That's the Raider Way. It's so comical. Because he's from Compton, he thinks he knows the Raider Way. It's a joke.”
Ouch. Without directly saying so, Lombardi is questioning Pierce's ability to establish a successful culture in Las Vegas. To his point, drafting players can be more about how they fit into a team's system rather than individual talent. Otherwise, the on-field product might lack cohesion and hinder progress. But who is to say Pierce doesn't know the caliber of prospects that best fit the Raiders?
Raiders' Antonio Pierce is just getting started in new role
This will be the first time he and new general manager Tom Telesco enter an NFL offseason as critical decision-makers in this organization. They could be ready to implement a successful approach in the draft and free agency. Suggesting that the coach might not be well-suited to execute some of his responsibilities is rather harsh.
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Many fans will argue that the cause of these scathing remarks stem from the Raiders' dismissal of Michael Lombardi's sons, both of whom worked on the team's coaching staff, but one must also acknowledge that Antonio Pierce has made some controversial statements himself. He needlessly declared that Vegas contains the “Mahomes Rules,” which will inevitably be a talking point in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room when the AFC West foes face off next year.
The regrettable statement is made even more befuddling considering that KC just won a championship in the Raiders' own stadium. Franchises that have no playoff wins in more than two decades should not use cool lingo. Even so, Lombardi is overlooking the fact that the players and fan base became reinvigorated under Pierce's leadership.
Whether or not that is the “Raider Way,” it is a good change of pace from the recent dreariness that permeated Allegiant Stadium.