Although he might face competition from a formidable opponent, interim head coach Antonio Pierce still has a chance to become the permanent head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Since the coaching search of the previous year, the squad has been associated with Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of Michigan.
Even though the Eagles chose Josh McDaniels as their quarterback last season, Harbaugh is still a possibility. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda provided additional details about the owner Mark Davis and Harbaugh’s friendship.
In a story published on November 30, Pauline stated, “Our sources say Jim Harbaugh and Mark Davis have had a very good relationship for a while now, and the Raiders would be a natural fit, but several factors come into play.”
“The Champ Kelly and Antonio Pierce regime is the most important thing at the moment. If the squad ends strong, some in the league think Davis will keep Kelly and Pierce on the team. There is a growing base of support for Kelly within the Raiders organization, as this Nov. 4 piece noted.
Although Harbaugh is a natural fit given his connection to the Raiders (he was the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2002 to 2003), Pauline identified one aspect that could deter Davis from considering Harbaugh while also indicating that the team is genuinely interested in him.
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Pauline stated, “There’s also the question of Davis’ comfort level with the head coach having complete control once again.” “The Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler combination didn’t work out, and Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden struggled with personnel issues.
“Although the Raiders are very interested in Harbaugh, it will ultimately come down to who Mark Davis is comfortable with and believes in.”
Giving Jim Harbaugh ‘Full Control’ Comes With Risks
Tony Pauline noted that the previous two head coaches of the Raiders had extensive control over personnel decisions, which has resulted in a number of bad choices. Mark Davis might want to appoint a general manager who manages staff and leave his coach to concentrate just on coaching.
It’s difficult to believe that a coach like Jim Harbaugh wouldn’t want some input on hiring decisions. That’s not necessarily a negative thing, though. The final say in roster decisions goes to Andy Reid and Bill Belichick, who have won numerous Super Bowls.
But when Harbaugh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, he reported to a general manager. He played 44-19 with former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke, despite their lack of friendship. Hiring Harbaugh if he wants complete authority is hazardous because there is no proof that he can handle NFL personnel.
Mark Davis Has Tough Decisions Ahead
At first glance, Mark Davis seemed to have made the right choice in hiring Jim Harbaugh. He has connections to the franchise, and there seems to be a shared interest. Additionally, he has guided his teams to victories in each of his professional and collegiate stints.
He should be able to connect with players more easily than some other coaches because he was once a player. Despite not even having two complete seasons of NFL coaching experience, Antonio Pierce has shown promise since replacing Josh McDaniels in the head coaching position. Although the players adore him, it would be unwise to offer him a full-time coaching position. Davis will have a difficult offseason because he cannot afford to appoint the incorrect coach once more.
