Stepping up as the Raiders’ interim head coach, Antonio Pierce’s most monumental decision was to bench Jimmy Garoppolo. Then he doubled down and brought in a rookie QB to replace the Raiders’ trusted weapon.
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As per Pro-Football Talk, Antonio Pierce has shared his vision with the veteran QB in a ‘mature conversation’, showing the team’s shift in leadership. When asked about his conversation with Garoppolo, he shared that Garoppolo took it pretty well.
Antonio Pierce Talks Shop with Garoppolo
According to several speculations, Antonio Pierce, the interim coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, was tasked with delivering the somber news to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that he would be benched. The star QB has significantly struggled this season, playing six games and posting only seven touchdowns and a whopping nine interceptions. As a result, he has been relegated to a backup role, replaced by rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
Pierce described his conversation with Garoppolo as direct, and the two handled it like grown men. According to an article by NBC Sports, Antonio said,
“You’re sensitive to it, but you’re direct. You just nip it in the bud, which we did. We talked about it like grown men… I’m very appreciative of Jimmy.”
Even with the step down, Garoppolo still holds his spot as a team captain and a leader. According to several pundits, he may even regain the lead role very soon. The 2x SB champ’s game hasn’t quite hit the mark lately, but Pierce and the rest of the team still believe in him. They see his worth. Garoppolo’s set contract was signed earlier this year with a base salary of $33.75 million, and a guaranteed 2024 bonus of $11.25 million.
Jimmy Garoppolo: The Man Behind Making Raiders ‘The Pro’
Even with this small bump in the road, Garoppolo remains a key player. Antonio Pierce has continued to emphasize the role of their veteran QB to the team.
“Since Jimmy has been here, he’s done nothing but become a pro and really taught our team to be a pro and also how to win, and when I say win, I’m not talking about on the grass always,” Pierce said. “I’m talking about in the meeting rooms, how to carry yourself, how to talk, how to handle adverse situations, and that’s what I’m proud of.”
Led by Jimmy Garoppolo, the Raiders’ offense struggled immensely this year. Turnovers have tainted the star QB’s performance. He has a 5.5% interception rate, much more than his career average. Yet, he believes that the offense can get better with practice and time. Notably, Garoppolo makes 7.3 yards per pass attempt, which is above the NFL average, but not as good as his six-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Raiders now have a strong season ahead, with a rookie QB who will go on to face the league’s toughest. It will surely be interesting to see if Antonio Pierce can fill the shoes of the head coach. However, pundits and fans suspect that this overhaul is only beginning, and will continue till next season.
