Following the Raiders’ embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Antonio Pierce took to the podium where he made a strong statement. It didn’t just suggest there were certain players were not putting out maximum effort, he flat out said it, going as far as to say there were those who made “business decisions.”
Pierce added that the team might also have to make some business decisions as well, suggesting those player who he didn’t see as putting full effort on the field could be benched or perhaps gone from the team.
Some have speculated who he could be talking about. Naturally, Davante Adams has been brought up considering all the talk of him being unhappy — something Adams has refuted — and the possibility of a trade happening this season involving him. But that is all speculation at this point.
The question I had was whether Pierce was just speaking from an emotional place and in turn might he pull back some on his strong words when given the chance to cool down.
Nope.
“I don’t bite my tongue,” said Pierce when asked if he regretted his choice of words after the game. Then he repeated it.”I don’t bite my tongue.”
He said he hasn’t made any of those business decision yet. That he would need to get with the team first. And he wouldn’t be more specific either, saying simply “Whatever helps the Raiders win. Right now that performance is not going to help any team, let alone the Raiders.”
Last season, Pierce saw Marcus Peters out there not putting in maximum effort. And once he thought Jack Jones was read to go, he benched and then cut Peters and put in Jones.
So, you know Pierce won’t put up with lack of effort. It’s just a matter of there being a better option for whoever he benches or sends packing.