Three former head coaches are said to have assisted the Las Vegas Raiders with every aspect of their Week 14 game plan.
A trio of former head coaches reportedly were at the Las Vegas Raiders facility this week to help Antonio Pierce put together a winning scheme for the team’s massive matchup on Sunday versus the Minnesota Vikings.
The Raiders’ Week 14 game against the Vikings is a make-or-break moment for the team’s hopes of scraping out a playoff spot in 2023. After winning two straight when Antonio Pierce took over as head coach following Josh McDaniel’s dismissal, Las Vegas has lost their last two and now has seven defeats this season.
They would most likely find themselves in a playoff chase hole they can’t escape this season if they lose three games in a row this weekend. It appears that head coach Antonio Pierce gave three men who have far more experience than him the chance to play a bigger part in the team’s preparation for their game against the Vikings because of the team’s obvious need to win on Sunday.
“Former NFL head coaches Tom Coughlin, Marvin Lewis, and Adam Gase were all at Raiders headquarters this past week, sitting in on meetings and providing input on all aspects of the football operation amid preparations for the Raiders’ home game Sunday against the Vikings,” NFL Media league insider Tom Pelissero said on Sunday morning.
According to Pelissero, the interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders “tapped their brains on everything, from scheduling to scheme to technique to officiating and more.”
Since Coughlin assumed the position of head coach, Pierce has relied on him, and the two share a bond from Pierce’s time spent playing for Coughlin with the New York Giants. In 2022, Pierce participated in competitions for Lewis while they were partnered with Washington. Additionally, he spent three seasons at Arizona State as a member of the staff of the former head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Despite their lack of prior experience, Gase was brought in to assist because of his connections to interim general manager Champ Kelly and offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree from their time as the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos.
It is unclear if the three former head coaches will continue to serve as advisors beyond NFL Week 14. The Raiders face the Vikings today at 4:05 PM ET on CBS.
