Tag: Antonio Pierce

WATCH: Jackson Powers-Johnson emotional draft call with Raiders HC Antonio Pierce

‘I’m gonna whoop some ass for you, I swear’: Watch Jackson Powers-Johnson’s emotional draft call with Raiders HC Antonio Pierce

For my money theres nothing better than the videos when players get drafted by their NFL team. Especially when they’re at home with big group of family sharing the excitement with them. That’s just what we got from Raiders Round two pick Jackson Powers-Johnson.

Adding to the emotion from his family is there are a few long time Raider fans there, including his grandparents who are from the Bay Area and who Jackson said had season tickets to the Raiders for 20 years.

But, regardless of the team, getting that phone call is special. When that kid who grew up dreaming up playing in the NFL was just drafted to an NFL team. You love to see it. And it never gets old. These moments are a big part of what makes the draft the event it has become.

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers goes No. 13 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 NFL draft

The Las Vegas Raiders got a steal when they drafted Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 13 pick in the draft

The Georgia Bulldogs have their first player off the board in the 2024 NFL draft. Tight end Brock Bowers was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders with the 13th overall pick.

Bowers burst onto the scene during his freshman year at Georgia, recording six catches in his opening game against Clemson and taking the starting job from current Steelers tight end Darnell Washington. Bowers provides numerous dimensions to his game as an offensive weapon. Over three seasons with the Bulldogs, he recorded 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns. He added 19 carries for 193 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, showcasing the uncharacteristic athleticism that sets him apart from other tight ends.

He racked up accolades during his time at Georgia, winning the John Mackey award for the best tight end in the nation in 2022 and 2023. He was a three-time all-SEC tight end and was named a second-team All-American in 2021, a first-team All-American in 2022 and a unanimous All-American in 2023.

Bowers joins Michael Mayer, a second-round pick a year ago, in the Raiders’ tight end room, and will provide an immediate offensive weapon for first-year head coach Antonio Pierce. The move will also reunite Bowers with his former Bulldog teammate, Zamir White.

Jeremy Fowler: Jayden Daniels ‘intrigued’ by Minnesota Vikings

According to ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, LSU QB Jayden Daniels is “unsure” of playing for the Commanders and “intrigued” by the Vikings.

With the NFL draft less than a week away, the rumor mill is starting to heat up. That includes the possibility of a top-flight draft prospect not playing for the team that drafts him.

In a recent segment on SportsCenter, ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler stated that there’s some real smoke behind the rumors that former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is unsure of the Washington Commanders. Currently, the Commanders sit with the second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and are in a prime position to draft the athletic quarterback.

Fowler went on to state that Daniels has an interest in playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and being reunited with one of his former coaches at Arizona State, Antonio Pierce. However, as Fowler mentions, the Raiders are unlikely to be able to trade up that far and get Daniels.

Then, Fowler mentioned that Daniels is “intrigued” by the possibility of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have a real need at the position, and unlike the Raiders, they have the assets to be able to move up for him. Currently, the Vikings have both the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s long been thought that the Vikings are a prime candidate to move up in the draft to grab a quarterback. Daniels would be an intriguing prospect for the team and an interesting fit in the offense that head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to run in Minnesota. Just how much fire is there to this smoke? We’ll find out on Thursday.

Jayden Daniels discusses possibility of landing with the Commanders

Daniels discusses the possibility of going No. 2 overall to the Commanders.

There is a lot of speculation regarding LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels going No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders in next month’s 2024 NFL draft.

Of course, some believe North Carolina’s Drake Maye will end up in Washington, while there are some who think Commanders general manager Adam Peters may surprise everyone and choose Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams will go No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, meaning the fun will begin at No. 2 with the Commanders. The speculation is fun, but no one knows which way Peters is leaning, who said earlier this week Washington doesn’t have a clue yet.

On Wednesday, Daniels had his pro day. By all accounts, he had a terrific performance. After his pro day, Daniels spoke with Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network, where he discussed a number of topics, including possibly being drafted by Washington.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Daniels said when asked if he’s had a chance to talk to Washington. “It’s a great feeling to be blessed enough to be picked that high. Obviously, what they’re doing is they’ve got a new regime and everything like that. As the process goes on, we’ll have more conversations with everything, but from there, it’s just getting into that work. Whoever drafts me, an organization that believes in me and thinks I can lead them to Super Bowls.”

You gotta give it to Daniels; he played it cool, saying all the right things.

A native of San Bernardino, California, Daniels began his college career at Arizona State, where he played for three seasons. It was there that he met current Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, who was a linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator for the Sun Devils at the time. Pierce raved about Daniels earlier this week, and many believe the Raiders would love to move up from No. 13 to select Daniels, but that may be impossible.

Daniels didn’t even tip his hand about potentially reuniting with Pierce.

Whether Daniels lands in Washington or not, it’s doubtful that he slides past No. 3, where the New England Patriots select. The Patriots could either draft Daniels or auction the pick to the highest bidder.

Antonio Pierce: Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell needs to become ‘more vocal’ when running the offense

Antonio Pierce: Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell needs to be ‘more vocal’

As the NFL Draft draws near, there is still talk of the Raiders selecting a quarterback in the first round or elsewhere.

The chatter persists despite last year’s starting quarterback, Aidan O’Connell, remaining on the roster. The Raiders also signed free agent Gardner Minshew to a two-year contract worth $15 million guaranteed.

Considering Minshew’s experience, it appears O’Connell could take on a reserve role this season. That becomes more likely if Las Vegas drafts a QB. But O’Connell, who started as a rookie last season, still has an opportunity to compete for the job.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce told reporters gathered at the 2024 NFL Annual Meeting what O’Connell needs to do to earn his starting gig back.

“What you saw at the end of the season: taking care of the football; managing the game; putting points on the board,” Pierce said. “I would love to see him become more vocal.

“Is he ever going to become a runner? No. Not going to happen. That’s okay. But there are other ways you can do that and move around in the pocket. I think he’s done a great job this offseason, being in the building, staying in the Las Vegas area, and really working on that.”

Pierce closed his comments on O’Connell by reiterating he wants his young QB to speak up to his teammates when necessary.

“One thing I’d love to see him do is be more vocal. You don’t want the quarterback being a church mouse. I don’t need him to be a rah-rah guy either, but when things are wrong I need him to fix it and be vocal about it.”

The new Raiders culture involves players and coaches being themselves. It seems that O’Connell is naturally quiet, even though he had lots of starting experience in college.

At quarterback, that won’t do, especially when it comes to keeping other players on task, as Pierce alluded to.

Pierce displayed incredible confidence in O’Connell last season, inserting him into the starting lineup when Pierce became interim coach. O’Connell responded with a 5-4 record under Pierce. The young QB had some highs and lows — such as being shut out against the Vikings before throwing four touchdowns in a beatdown of the Chargers the following week — but he showed promise.

Now, he must continue to grow as a player as Pierce takes on a full-time coaching role. As O’Connell continues to work at the Raiders practice facility this offseason with the likes of defensive end Maxx Crosby — who, just like Pierce, rarely hesitates to speak his mind — he’s probably in the perfect environment to become more vocal by the start of training camp.

Antonio Pierce calls GM Tom Telesco ‘magician’ in terms of drafting quarterback

Is Tom Telesco really the ‘magician’ in terms of drafting quarterback that Antonio Pierce thinks he is?

Regardless of how you feel about the hiring of Tom Telesco, for the Raiders, the former Chargers is seen as the right guy at the right time.

First and foremost, Mark Davis opted not to go with any first time GM’s because he had already decided to go with first time head coach Antonio Pierce. In this situation, Pierce was to be surrounded by experienced people to allow Pierce to focus on motivating his players.

But there’s also the issue with the Raiders heading into the draft with a need at QB for the first time in a decade. That’s an area where they like Telesco’s experience.

“I got Tom Telesco in there. Got the magician. Figure out what he’s got up his sleeve,” Pierce told NFL media’s Carol Smith. “He’s done it for a long time. I got a lot of trust in him. I think he’s seen it wherever he’s been. Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, becomes a GM with the Chargers, Philip Rivers, Justin Herbert. So he knows something about quarterbacks. So I’m going to let him figure it out.”

Yes, Telesco has “seen” great quarterback play. Though he can’t really be credited much for it.

The Chargers landed franchise QB Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick after Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa had been selected. Making for one of the more no-brainer picks in the draft as the Chargers were moving on from Philip Rivers and there was a significant dropoff at QB in the draft after that. They were taking whichever of the three QB’s were on the board.

Andrew Luck’s selection carried even less suspense. Telesco had just been promoted to VP of football ops from director of player personnel. The Colts had the number one overall pick and Luck was the obvious choice at first overall.

Peyton Manning was also a number one overall pick and he was selected the same year Telesco joined the team as an area scout. So, needless to say Telesco was not influencing anything with that pick. Philip Rivers was already a veteran on the Chargers when Telesco joined those team.

So, at best Telesco may be a good judge of the kind of intangibles great quarterbacks should possess because he shared a building with several in his career. He’s been lucky enough to have only experienced one full season without one of those four quarterbacks behind center. And that was the notorious “Suck for Luck” season.

Pierce and the Raiders are banking on Telesco’s up-close-and-personal experience with these QB’s translating to the Raiders finding their own answer at quarterback in this year’s draft.

The Raiders currently sit at 13 overall. Most expect the top four quarterbacks — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and JJ McCarthy — to be off the board by then, with a dropoff at the position after that.

Next up would be Michael Penix and Bo Nix, but both are considered late first round or early second round prospects.

This means for the first time in his front office career Telesco’s QB magic skills will be truly put to the test.

Fantasy football reaction: 2024 NFL coaching changes recap

A fantasy football response to all of the coaching changes around the NFL.

Six of the eight new NFL head coaches are from the defensive side of the ball, which makes their choices at offensive coordinator that much more important. The two head men with a background coaching the offense — Dave Canales and Brian Callahan — both intend to call plays in addition to being their respective team’s final decision maker.

We’ll focus mostly on offensive changes for two primary factors: Fantasy defenses typically are interchangeable week to week and aren’t nearly as consequential, and defensive fantasy production tends to be far more personnel-driven than schematic success, outside of a few proven systems.

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce explains novel approach to defending Patrick Mahomes

#Raiders HC Antonio Pierce explained Las Vegas’ new approach to defending Patrick Mahomes.

Every team in the AFC West aims to find a way to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs and dethrone their dominance over the division. The six consecutive AFC West champions have had their way with the rest of the division, with the other three teams consistently retooling in the offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce experienced some success against the Chiefs in 2023 with his shocking victory at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day. The outspoken former linebacker spoke with Maxx Crosby on his podcast “The Rush” about his special rules for facing Patrick Mahomes.

“We’ve got the Jordan rules and what I’m calling, from now on as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes rules,” Pierce said. “You remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons? All those guys in the ’80s; before he became Michael Jordan, Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whip his [expletive].

“Any time he came to the hole? Elbows, feeling him, love taps. We touched him. We’re in the head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually; I’m touching you. So, I showed those guys Jordan getting his ass whooped.”

The Jordan Rules were created by the infamous 1980s Detroit Pistons in the NBA to slow down Michael Jordan’s effectiveness on offense. Pierce comparing Mahomes to Jordan is highly praised and shows an interesting mindset to be extra physical in their matchups.

Crosby has already demonstrated his willingness to get chippy with Mahomes, so it appears the plan is well underway.

Antonio Pierce wants the Raiders to beat up Patrick Mahomes like the Pistons did to Michael Jordan

Antonio Pierce is introducing the “Mahomes Rules” for the Raiders.

Even while the Kansas City Chiefs won their third Super Bowl title in five seasons, Antonio Pierce’s Las Vegas Raiders were one of the teams to show Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes was a little more mortal than usual.

And according to Pierce, it’s because he introduced the “Mahomes rules” to his team. If you’re familiar with the old-school NBA and how the Detroit Pistons used to beat a young Michael Jordan (one of Mahomes’ analogs), you know what he means by the phrase: Beat up the Chiefs’ superstar face-of-the-league quarterback by any means necessary.

Pierce explained his thought process to Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby in the latest episode of his “The Rush” podcast:

“We’ve got the [Michael] Jordan rules and what I’m calling, from now on, as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes rules,” Pierce said. “So, you remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ’80s; before he became Michael Jordan, Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whup his ass. Any time he came to the hole? Elbows, feeling him, love taps. We touched him. We’re in the head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually; I’m touching you. So, I showed those guys Jordan getting his ass whupped.”

The Pistons famously rode their Jordan rules to three straight playoff wins over Jordan’s still-ascending Chicago Bulls in the late 1980s. The Raiders under Pierce can count on one shellacking of Mahomes’ Chiefs on Christmas Day 2023, where they finished with four sacks and 10 quarterback hits.

Whether Pierce’s insistence and focus on pummeling Mahomes translates to more consistent success against the NFL’s red and gold standard is something we won’t have an answer for until next fall.

Raiders want to imitate Detroit Pistons ‘Jordan Rules’ to deal with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

Raiders emulating Detroit Pistons ‘Jordan Rules’ with Patrick Mahomes

Remembering the Raiders’ impressive win against the Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Christmas will help Raiders fans get through the long offseason. But if the Raiders want to become legit contenders, they’ll have to figure out how to beat the Chiefs on a regular basis.

That’s a tall task. Kansas City is led by the best quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, who is squarely in his prime.

Before Christmas, coach Antonio Pierce used a tactic to motivate his team that he says he’ll keep using. He plans to emulate the Detroit Pistons’ method for dealing with the great Michael Jordan in the NBA, also known as the “Jordan Rules.”

Essentially, the Raiders want to be as physically rough with Mahomes as possible. That’s how the “Bad Boy” Pistons dealt with Jordan.

“We’ve got the Jordan Rules and we’ve got what I’m calling now as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes Rules,” Pierce said on Maxx Crosby’s The Rush Podcast. “You remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ’80s before he became Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whip his [behind]. Any time he came to the hole: elbows, feeling him, love taps. We’re in his head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

“So I showed my guys Jordan getting his [tail] whooped, consistently.”

Pierce said he also showed his team clips of boxing and mixed martial arts fights to motivate his team to play the Chiefs on Christmas.

This isn’t the first connection between the Raiders and the Bad Boy Pistons, who won two NBA titles. Those Pistons, led by guard Isiah Thomas and center Bill Laimbeer, wore Raiders gear. They wanted to emulate the Raiders, who were then known as the bad boys of the NFL.

Of course, Jordan eventually got past the Pistons and won six NBA titles with the Bulls. But the Pistons made him work for it, defeating Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals in each of their championship seasons.

The Raiders’ situation is a bit of a reversal. Mahomes has already won three NFL championships and appears poised to win more. The Raiders have to slow his stride as best they can.

It should help that the NFL is a physical sport, especially compared to the NBA. Even with rules to protect NFL quarterbacks, it’s still every team’s goal to hit the opposing QB as often as possible. Pierce’s “Patrick Mahomes Rules” should only help as the Raiders look to knock the Chiefs off their pedestal.