The Impact of Andy Reid on the Raiders' Coaching Staff

Years ago, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid was responsible for convincing a member of the Las Vegas Raiders' coaching staff to get into coaching.

Nov 26, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce (left) shakes hands with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid after the game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce's promotion, Pierce filled out his coaching staff with many former players who are now coaches. Coach Pierce strategically surrounded himself with former players with years of experience playing in the National Football League.

One of those former players was Raiders linebackers coach Mike Caldwell. 

Early in his career, Caldwell briefly played for Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, two of the greatest coaches in college football and the NFL. 

Caldwell said he was so busy learning the ropes while under Belichick and Saban, their impact was more for him as a player than a future coaching position.

"Looking back to those days, I was a really, really young guy, and my head was spinning that first year, and I really couldn't understand the knowledge that was before me," Caldwell said last week. "But now that I look back, could I tell that it was going to happen? No, I couldn't tell it was going to happen because I was just trying to get through those eight weeks of training camp. But those guys have had great success. And did it get me into coaching? Not really.”

However, he believes neither of those great coaches directly influenced him all that much and credits Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid with getting him into coaching. After spending some time away, Caldwell says he has enjoyed being back around football.

Caldwell said he did not realize his destiny was to become a coach until after he had finished playing and spent some time away from football. 

Caldwell said he has enjoyed being back around football. The time away allowed him to get away from football for roughly five years after spending 11 years playing linebacker in the league. Caldwell noted how excited he is for the chance to help younger players.

“I think my path was later on," he said. "Coach [Andy] Reid asked, once I was finished playing, would I want to coach, and I was like, 'No coach, y'all can have that.' But then ended up going home and retired for about five years, decided to get back into it, and did the minority internship program, and I'm here today. I've loved it and just continue to enjoy spilling my knowledge onto the younger generations."

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