Maxx Crosby, Raiders players are laying the groundwork to oust Antonio Pierce already

Tom Brady, do something! The Las Vegas Raiders are imploding again.

Las Vegas has been looking for the right leadership to lead the franchise back to its former glory. So far, that search has yielded no results.

Two years ago, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia took over a Raiders team that was in constant turmoil, both on and off the field, and led them to a postseason berth. The Raiders players wanted Bisaccia to remain as head coach after the season ended, but owner Mark Davis opted to hire former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels instead.

The McDaniels era turned out to be an unmitigated disaster, and he was fired on Halloween night after… brutal team meeting in which players were viciously “unloaded” on their head coach, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported. McDaniels reportedly had linebackers coach Antonio Pierce, who was the linebackers coach, stand up and speak on his behalf.

Coincidentally, it was Pierce who was named head coach after McDaniels was fired. About a year later, it seems to be his turn to feel the wrath of his players.

Several Raiders players, including team captain Maxx Crosby, spoke openly during a team meeting Monday to address the inefficiencies and shortcomings that plague the organization on a weekly basis. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports this.

Players were dissatisfied with a lack of organization, discipline and responsibility. They also believed that there was a lot of “wasted time” with an inefficient schedule.

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Raiders in Week 9, sending them into their bye week with a sour taste. The 42-21 loss was their fifth loss in a row, leaving them with a 2-7 record at midseason. Pierce fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello after the team’s latest loss.

Still, that may not be enough for the players. They witnessed the power their team meetings produced when McDaniels was fired, and the Raiders may be primed for another mutiny. Although the meeting was reportedly nothing like the meeting that led to McDaniels being fired, it ended “unpleasantly for all parties.”

Ironically, the Raiders’ players openly campaigned to have Pierce named head coach this season after he led the team to a 5-4 record as interim coach. All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams said he would “run through a wall for that guy.” Crosby, who had a career-high 14.5 sacks in the 2023 season, even threatened to leave the team if Pierce wasn’t hired.

A few months later everything seems different. Adams has already forced his way out with a midseason trade to the New York Jets, and Crosby can do nothing but express his frustration once again.

The Raiders return from their bye week and begin preparations for their road game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11. For Pierce, the game could prove to be more crucial than initially expected.