Antonio Pierce, the new coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, was forced to watch the Kansas City Chiefs win another Super Bowl from home along with the rest of the globe.
However, this one felt different for Pierce, who infused fresh vitality and spirit into the Raiders organization after taking over as head coach midway through the season following Josh McDaniels’ firing. After receiving resolute backing from both the players and the supporters, he was eventually appointed as the team’s next full-time head coach.
Pierce had to watch the Chiefs win this year’s Super Bowl on his team’s home field, knowing they had just prepared in his team’s home locker rooms.
After almost ten years of the Kansas City Chiefs controlling the division, it was the latest jab at the Las Vegas Raiders, but head coach Antonio Pierce saw it as motivation for the future.
He stated, “You know what, it’s motivation,” on the podcast The Rush with Maxx Crosby. But who’s the last [team] to defeat them? Which [team] has defeated the Chiefs most recently? These guys. That’s what they did. Thus, it’s alright. It’s awesome. We’ll run that back, just as I told them. We’ll meet them once more. Both of us and them must see each other. Additionally, we’ve previously provided the recipe.
The Silver and Black have not had a good time under Patrick Mahomes. With a 10-2 record versus the Raiders, the now three-time Super Bowl MVP has led Kansas City to six of its eight consecutive division titles.
Pierce may still take pride in being the final team to defeat the Chiefs in 2023, though.
Entering Christmas Day with a six-game losing streak against K.C., the Raiders bullied the Chiefs during a 20-14 win in which Las Vegas scored two defensive touchdowns and twice turned Mahomes and Co. over on downs.
As part of gearing up for the rivalry game, Pierce leaned into animosity.
“Dislike and hatred are not the same thing,” he declared. “Hatred exists for the Chiefs. You have to detest and despise this particular team in a genuine way. Now that the offseason is here, we’ll be chill. We’re going to shake hands at a location like this when we see them. But it was on between the white lines and the grass. And these men succeeded.
“Hate the red hue. We noticed red. We detest the color red. In regards to the battle, Pierce continued, “It was on that kind of level.”
When Antonio Pierce was the team’s interim head coach, he played clips of UFC bouts and Muhammad Ali capping boxing matches. The Raiders had opened the season with a victory over the Chiefs, but had failed to do it the month before.
