While that still might happen, one report indicates that owner Mark Davis and Co. are going to go big-game hunting. If it doesn’t work out, the Raiders will then circle back to Pierce.

“One thing I’ve heard is that Davis may have a big swing in him, and that he’d go with Pierce if that swing weren’t to work out,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported.

“A couple things should really help Antonio Pierce with Mark Davis. The first is that Davis still harbors some regret over not giving Rich Bisaccia another year after Bisaccia united a team that was going through a lot—the Jon Gruden fiasco, and Henry Ruggs’s and Damon Arnette’s off-field problems—and got the Raiders to the playoffs. The second is that Davis does listen to his players.”

There is a lot to unpack here. First off, Davis was under fire for his decision to hire McDaniels instead of promoting Bisaccia to the full-time head coach after the 2021 season. Bisaccia led Vegas to a surprise playoff appearance after Jon Gruden had to resign in disgrace.

Secondly, Raiders stars have come out in support of Pierce since he replaced McDaniels. That includes All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams.

“I’m definitely rooting for him. I love the guy, I love his mentality, his passion for the game is undeniable. His evolution. He’s done a great job,” Adams said of Pierce in late December.