Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce made headlines on Monday after his comments about newly-crowned three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes surfaced. Pierce practically admitted that his team is set out to hurt the Kansas City Chiefs superstar whenever they face him on the field.
It was a controversial comment, no doubt, which has now prompted a rather suspicious reaction from the league.
Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Wants to Hurt Patrick Mahomes
Speaking on a recent episode of Maxx Crosby’s The Rush Podcast, Pierce pretty much compared Mahomes to the GOAT of the NBA himself, Michael Jordan. The comparison wasn’t about their skills in their respective sports, though, as Pierce revealed how he plans on going full Detroit Pistons on Mahomes at every given opportunity:
“We’ve got the Jordan Rules and we’ve got what I’m calling now as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes Rules,” Pierce said. “You remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ’80s before he became Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whip his [behind]. Any time he came to the hole: elbows, feeling him, love taps. We’re in his head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.
That’s not exactly a unique tactic employed by opposing teams on one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. However, this is perhaps the type of statement that would be better kept under wraps as opposed to being so readily available for public consumption.
NFL Declines to Comment
According to Mike Florio of PFT, the NFL “has declined comment on the situation.”
Florio argues that the league could have just come out with a statement saying there’s nothing wrong with what Pierce said. The fact that they chose not to speaks volumes.
Whatever the case might be, Pierce and the Raiders should expect some sort of reprimand or warning — be it public or otherwise — over this latest controversy.
“It’s safe to assume the Raiders will hear from the league office, now or as the next Raiders-Chiefs game approaches or both. The message will be simple and clear. If any effort to apply extra physicality to Mahomes is detected, flags will be thrown, fined will be levied, and suspensions will be imposed,” Florio wrote.
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