Antonio Pierce made quite an impression on the Las Vegas Raiders‘ players during his time as interim head coach this past season, so much so that the Raiders decided to bring him back in a full-time role.
Multiple Raiders players spoke up for Pierce as Las Vegas was going through its hiring process, with star edge rusher Maxx Crosby even saying he might consider asking for a trade if the Raiders didn’t bring Pierce back.
Well, throw wide receiver Jakobi Meyers into the ever-growing group of Raiders players who have publicly endorsed Pierce.
During an appearance on PFT Live, Meyers said that a whole lot changed when Pierce took over for Josh McDaniels on Oct. 31.
“It didn’t feel right,” Meyers said of the previous regime, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “Once we got on the same page, it was night and day.”
The Raiders were 3-5 when Pierce took the reins as head coach. They proceeded to go 5-4 the rest of the way, including a 63-point effort in a blowout of the Los Angeles Chargers and a win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas.
“It’s fun. He really let us be ourselves,” Meyers said. “Guys can go out there and enjoy the game a little more.”
Meyers enjoyed a solid season during his debut campaign in Vegas, playing in 16 games and hauling in 71 receptions for 807 yards and eight touchdowns.
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at North Carolina State, went undrafted but landed with the New England Patriots in 2019.
He spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots before joining the Raiders last offseason.
Now, Meyers and Co. will get to spend a full season with Antonio Pierce.
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