Raiders’ heated meeting saw players and coaches criticize Josh McDaniels harshly, Antonio Pierce’s Patriots comment escalated tensions

Josh McDaniels signed with the Raiders in the 2022 offseason.

Raiders’ heated meeting saw players and coaches criticize Josh McDaniels harshly, Antonio Pierce’s Patriots comment escalated tensions

Josh McDaniels (L - via Sports Illustrated) and Antonio Pierce (R - via Sports Illustrated)

After a poor start to the season, the Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels after their defeat to the Detroit Lions last Monday. It wasn’t a surprising decision either, as there were calls made by the fans to fire McDaniels. He joined the Raiders after serving as the offensive coordinator for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. There were a lot of expectations from him, but he failed to deliver on them and is now out of a job.

According to a recent report by NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the writing for McDaniels’ firing was on the wall. The Raiders held an intense meeting just days before their game against the Lions. In the meeting, players and assistant coaches alike “ripped into him.” McDaniels was criticized thoroughly in the meeting for the team’s then 3-4 record. The former head coach was left shell-shocked by the response.

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According to sources, the practice session that followed the intense meeting was different from other practices. McDaniels wasn’t involved as much as he did before. He seemed distant from the team after the meeting which left him a “shell of himself.” During the meeting, the Raiders’ interim head coach, Antonio Pierce spoke about the Patriots. That did not sit well with McDaniels as he told Pierce after the meeting:

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Don't ever talk about the Patriots like that.

McDaniels and GM David Ziegler, who was fired on the same day, came from the Patriots together in 2022. They were expected to bring the Raiders a championship, but that did not happen. McDaniels won just nine games in his two seasons with the Raiders.

Firings of Josh McDaniels and David Ziegler cost nearly $85 million

The Las Vegas Raiders’ decision to fire HC Josh McDaniels and GM David Ziegler came at a cost. Firing the duo cost nearly $85 million, according to ESPN. Some of the cost will be mitigated, but the firings were still, “an expensive move nonetheless.”

Josh McDaniels, Mark Davis and Dave Ziegler
Josh McDaniels, Mark Davis and Dave Ziegler (via Las Vegas-Review Journal)

Owner Mark Davis said of the firings: 

Unfortunately, I had great hopes for Josh and Dave. It just seemed we were going in the wrong direction. So, with the trade deadline, I just felt it was time to make a change, time to make a move.

The Raiders replaced McDaniels with LB coach Antonio Pierce as the team’s interim head coach. He will lead the Raiders in their next game against the New York Giants on Sunday.

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