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.
The #Raiders have reached agreement with Antonio Pierce as their linebackers coach, sources say. The former #Giants Pro Bowl LB is back in the NFL on the coaching level after spending the last few years as a defensive assistant with Arizona State.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 15, 2022
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.
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