REPORT: Were Telesco and Pierce Given a Fair Chance?

The Las Vegas Raiders are searching for a new head coach for the second time in as many seasons. They will enter next season with their third coach in three seasons.

The Raiders' lack of consistency at the head coaching and quarterback positions has been a thorn in the side of the entire organization.

Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated blamed Raiders owner Mark Davis for the team's lack of success over the past decade and a half.

“Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis has whiffed a handful of times on head coaches and general managers the past 14 years,” Manzano said. “But he didn’t even give coach Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco a fair shake in firing both after one year.

“Davis forced the partnership between Pierce and Telesco because he couldn’t decide on one vision and was rewarded with a dreadful four-win season. He was concerned about Pierce’s lack of coaching experience and paired him with Telesco, a seasoned executive who spent 11 seasons as the Chargers’ GM. But Pierce was more compatible with Champ Kelly, who wasn’t promoted after being the interim GM in 2023.”

Manzano credited Davis with understanding that he needs help putting together a quality team on the field, along with a competent coach staff and bringing in Tom Brady to help make it happen.

However, Manzano also noted that there is still cause for concern regarding Davis and the Raiders, even with Brady in the fold. Still, Brady's presence will go a long way for Davis, as the Silver and Black hope to turn things around as soon as possible.

"It’s understandable that Davis is now allowing Tom Brady, the team’s minority owner, to have more say after years of getting it wrong, but it’s a bad look for the organization to fire a GM after one season and not give a coach time to develop knowing well that game management wasn’t a strength," Manzano said. "Davis quickly pivoted, and probably for the best, but now Brady has to deliver pitches just to convince top coaching candidates like Johnson to interview with the team and assure them Davis will no longer be in the way, which isn’t even a guarantee."

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