The Las Vegas Raiders have installed Antonio Pierce as their new head coach in the wake of Josh McDaniels’ firing, and edge rusher Maxx Crosby seems thrilled about the decision.
“I feel like the No. 1 thing I can say about him is he’s just direct,” Crosby said, via the Raiders’ official X account. “He’s blunt about everything, he’s going to give you the truth. Sometimes you don’t want to hear it, but you’d rather have that than somebody sugarcoat (expletive).”
Crosby stayed away from directing any comments at McDaniels, but you can’t help but think his praise of Pierce was also a condemnation of his former coach.
“A guy like AP, you’ve got to respect it, because he’s been a player, he’s been in our shoes, he’s been on the other side — he’s been coaching — and he’s seen it all,” added Crosby. “A guy like that, that can step in front of the room and demand respect, it makes everybody else be a little more dialed in, have a little bit of nervousness — like, I need to be on point, but at the same time, you want to play for somebody like that because you know he’s got your back.”
Pierce played nine years in the NFL as a linebacker with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants. He is most known for his time with the Giants, where he spent five seasons and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory during the 2007-08 campaign. He also made one Pro Bowl.
The 45-year-old had been Las Vegas’ linebackers coach before being chosen as the club’s head coach on an interim basis.
Maxx Crosby is in the middle of another spectacular season, as he has already racked up 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through his first eight games.
The Eastern Michigan product has made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances and is coming off of a 2022 campaign in which he registered 89 tackles, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
The Raiders will battle the Giants this Sunday.
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