The Las Vegas Raiders are adding a former NFL linebacker to their coaching staff, albeit one with a bit of baggage from his last coaching stop.
The Raiders are set to hire former Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce as the team’s new linebackers coach, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Pierce comes to the Raiders from Arizona State, where he had previously been a defensive assistant.
Pierce had been the defensive coordinator for the Sun Devils under Herman Edwards, and had also led recruiting for the school. He had been forced out of that position due to alleged NCAA rules violations, and the program remains heavily scrutinized in part over Pierce’s supposed actions.
Pierce won’t need to follow recruiting rules in the NFL, so this may be a good fit. He had a nine-year NFL career with Washington and New York, which included a Super Bowl title and a Pro Bowl appearance.
More must-reads: