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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — Two of the Las Vegas Raiders‘ most high-profile players have come out in full support of Antonio Pierce having the interim tag removed from his coaching title by team owner Mark Davis.
One day after All-Pro receiver Davante Adams said Pierce had his “vote” to be coach in 2024 and “that’s basically how the whole locker room feels,” three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby said Pierce had his “100%” support as well.
“There’s only 32 [NFL] head coaches in the whole world,” Crosby said Thursday, “so you’ve got to find a leader of men. And when you’ve got one of them in the building currently, I don’t know why you would let them go.”
Crosby, who has a career-high 13.5 sacks, also stumped for Rich Bisaccia two years ago — to no avail — after he led the Raiders to a playoff berth as interim coach.
Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, Crosby and the Raiders are a combined 38-44 heading into Sunday’s finale against the Denver Broncos and have had just one winning season — 2021, when they made the playoffs with a 10-7 mark.
“I’ve made the playoffs one time in five years. It’s bulls—,” Crosby said. “And we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do moving forward. And I’m sick of change. I’m sick of losing. I just want stability and f—ing consistency, and that’s all that matters to me. I want to win.”
Pierce, who replaced the fired Josh McDaniels on Nov. 1, has guided the Raiders to a 4-4 mark, with big wins against the New York Giants (30-6), Los Angeles Chargers (63-21) and Kansas City Chiefs (20-14). There also have been confounding losses to the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) and Indianapolis Colts (23-20).
Since taking over the organization upon his father Al Davis’ passing in October 2011, Mark Davis is on his eighth coach, including interims — Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Jon Gruden, Bisaccia, McDaniels and Pierce.
“I mean, he’s come in and done a great job and he’s continued to win us over,” Adams said of Pierce. “It’s not just the comfortable thing; I think having A.P. here will be good for this organization. He kind of embodies what it means to be a Raider and that mentality, that swag and all the things that he endorses is the things that I believe in.
“So it’s easy for a guy like me, especially having dealt with him a little bit this year now and gotten to know him and see his evolution in front of the team and all those things, all the different fields of being a head coach. So, definitely rooting for him.”
