Raiders players aired grievances in team meeting that ended ‘uncomfortably’
The Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of their bye week following a 2-7 first half of the 2024 campaign, and head coach Antonio Pierce took the week to make significant changes to his coaching staff.
The Raiders fired three coaches in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello. Taking Getsy’s place is passing-game coordinator Scott Turner, who will be joined by his father and former Raiders coach Norv Turner as an offensive consultant. Senior offensive assistant Joe Philbin is taking over as the interim offensive line coach.
But more than just coaching staff changes happened this week. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, Raiders players, including Maxx Crosby, and coaches held a team meeting to air grievances on Monday, and the meeting reportedly ended “uncomfortably.”
Among the grievances from Raiders players was an inefficient schedule, a lack of organization and a lack of discipline and accountability.
“After Monday’s coaches meeting, the team met with the staff and the floor was open for anyone to speak their mind,” Jones reported. “According to sources present, a few themes emerged. Players had issues with the schedule not being efficient. There was a lack of organization and ‘wasting time,’ and there was a ‘lack of discipline and accountability.'”
“One source described the meeting as ending ‘uncomfortably for all parties.’ But, to be sure, this meeting was nothing like one between the players and head coach from almost exactly a year ago,” Jones added.
The meeting Jones mentions was the disastrous one held by former head coach Josh McDaniels last year. McDaniels allowed players to speak their minds and he was ripped into, which ultimately led to his firing.
When it comes to the issues brought up by players, the buck stops with Pierce, and this is yet another stain on his first season as the full-time head coach.
Unfortunately, none of this is surprising with the utter dysfunction we have seen from the coaching staff as a whole this year. Pierce and the Raiders’ staff has not handled things well on the field, and Pierce himself has even drawn unnecessary negative attention to the team with his “business decisions” comment.
Raiders ownership has to take a good long look at what Pierce has put out there in 2024 and decide if he truly is the guy to lead this team into 2025 and beyond.
Right now, it doesn’t look like he is.