Antonio Pierce Offers Unique Perspective to Chiefs' Preparation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jadeveon Clowney, Christian Wilkins or even 449-pound Desmond Watson. Don’t rule out anyone with regard to the Chiefs’ future roster – including … former NFL head coaches?

“I would look at anybody who could help us,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said Thursday. “I don't care.”

Even the New York Giants linebacker who helped Steve Spagnuolo beat undefeated Tom Brady and earn his first of four Super Bowl rings in 2007?

“I mean, look, hypothetically down the road … Spags’ favorite player of all-time is Antonio Pierce. Antonio Pierce was at camp with us. We may or may not have asked about him.”

Pierce, who retired as a player in 2009, did visit Kansas City’s training camp last month in St. Joseph, Mo., as an invited guest. He spent time with Spagnuolo and the Chiefs’ coaches, watched practice and no doubt offered personnel intelligence on the team that fired him as head coach in January, the division-rival Raiders.

But did Pierce, 46, also express a desire to dust off his linebacker cleats, or did the Chiefs ask him to consider a return? After all, Brady was 45 when he retired.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce watches play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

In his (first) stint as an NFL player

A 6-1, 238-pound linebacker during his playing days – head coaches don’t reveal their weight -- Pierce played nine seasons in the NFL. Undrafted in 2001, he spent his first four seasons as a linebacker for Washington before signing with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent in 2005.

A Pro Bowler in 2006, Pierce posted a career-high 139 tackles with one sack, an interception, forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. But he took off the following year, when head coach Tom Couglin hired Spagnuolo as his defensive coordinator. That’s when Pierce became the quarterback of the Giants’ defense.

The Giants in the 2007 playoffs went 4-0, all away from home, and Pierce started every game for Spagnuolo. He made a critical tackle in the NFC Championship Game at Green Bay, preventing a touchdown that forced the Packers to settle for a field goal. The Giants won in overtime.

Then, he had 10 tackles in Super Bowl 42 to help deny Brady and the 18-0 Patriots, 17-14.

In nine NFL seasons, Pierce played in 124 games, recording 691 tackles, nine sacks, seven interceptions, eight forced fumbles and 10 fumble recoveries. He also returned both an interception and a fumble for touchdowns.

Coaching career

He began his coaching career at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School in 2014. After four years there, he joined former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards at Arizona State.

Josh McDaniels brought Pierce to Las Vegas as the Raiders’ linebackers coach in 2022 and, after Mark Davis fired McDaniels in the middle of the ’23 campaign, Pierce finished the year as interim head coach. Pierce led the Raiders into Arrowhead Stadium and secured a 20-14 victory on Christmas Day, helping him earn the full-time role as head coach the following season.

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