It appears that the Las Vegas Raiders made the right choice by hiring Antonio Pierce as their head coach if Jakobi Meyers is to be believed. The 27-year-old wide receiver revealed this during his recent interview with PFT Live from the Super Bowl Media Center.
In the said interview, Jakobi Meyers shared his thoughts about the team moving forward while talking about how things have changed since Antonio Pierce started to run the show.
“It didn’t feel right. Once we got on the same page, it was night and day,” said Meyers. “It’s fun. He really lets us be ourselves. Guys can go out there and enjoy the game a little more.”
“I knew from there that this guy is a leader of men and could command a room,” added Las Vegas quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
How Antonio Pierce took over Jakobi Meyers and the Las Vegas Raiders
Before getting the HC job in Las Vegas, Antonio Pierce played nine years in the NFL as a linebacker for the Washington Commanders (2001–2004) and the New York Giants (2005–2009). When he retired, Antonio Pierce had coaching stops at Long Beach Poly HS (2014–2017) and Arizona State (2018–2021) before joining the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
On October 31, 2023, Antonio Pierce was named the interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after Josh McDaniels was fired. Pierce made his coaching debut in a 30-6 victory against the New York Giants in Week 9.
Credit: Getty Images
The Las Vegas Raiders ultimately missed out on the NFL playoffs with an 8-9 record, but there’s reason to be optimistic since they were second in the AFC West behind the Kansas City Chiefs, and they won three of their last four regular-season games, including a 63-21 rout of the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
High hopes for Jakobi Meyers and the Las Vegas Raiders next season
Under Antonio Pierce, the Las Vegas Raiders have a winning record of 5-4. When they went 3-1 to cap off the 2023 NFL regular season, they outscored their opponents 130-72.
Furthermore, their defense has improved under the Super Bowl XLII winner, ranking first in points, first in defensive touchdowns, third in sacks, and eighth in rushing.
Credit: Getty Images
As for Jakobi Meyers, he is coming off a decent debut campaign in Las Vegas, registering 71 receptions for 807 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
