antonio pierce announcement that he is leaving the Raiders now another significant issue for the Team……

The Las Vegas Raiders made sweeping changes to their coaching staff over the last 24 hours.

Linebackers Coach Antonio Pierce was elevated to interim head coach shortly after the team announced the firings of General Manager Dave Ziegler, Coach Josh McDaniels, and Offensive Coordinator Mick Lombardi.

Pierce was empathetic but energetic as he addressed the media Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s never easy when you lose a teammate, a co-worker, somebody you’re close with,” Pierce said. “We take that very seriously. Some lives and families are affected by this, and we understand that.

“But it’s a new day, it’s a new chapter, it’s a new era, it’s a new mindset. What is that mindset? It’s that of the Raider pride, the commitment to excellence, and making sure our alumni, our fan base, and Raider Nation are proud of what they see on the field.”

In his first opportunity as a head coach, Pierce plans to showcase many attributes that made him a Super Bowl-winning linebacker.