While there were many well-known candidates available for this coaching cycle, Mark Davis, the owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, only gave Antonio Pierce serious thought. Pierce shocked Davis somewhat, but not much, in the previous season, according to Davis.
When Davis spoke with The Athletic on Thursday night, a day after the Raiders formally announced the hiring of former Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco and the promotion of interim coach Pierce to a full-time role, he also dispelled a myth regarding the hiring process for general managers.
According to Davis, Pierce observed the last round of GM interviews.
Davis claimed he always kind of felt that Telesco was the correct choice, even though Telesco overcame the other two contenders, interim general manager Champ Kelly and Indianapolis Colts deputy general manager Ed Dodds, by coming from behind. Before being let go last month, 51-year-old Telesco was the general manager of the Chargers since 2013.
Clearly, I had followed him for the previous eleven years, Davis stated over the phone on Thursday night. After getting to know him a little, I found his disposition to be appealing. I’ve always thought the Chargers’ roster was intimidating. Raiders vs. Chargers games, which were played twice a year, were never simple.
