There has been a lot of conversation surrounding the future of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, and whether or not he will be returning next season. But that convo doesn’t end with him, as the future of his coaching staff is also up in the air, and one very intriguing name to watch will be defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Graham did a decent job in getting this Raiders defense to play at a solid level, especially down the stretch of the season. Prior to the regular season finale, the Raiders had held four of their last five opponents to 20 points or fewer and finished the year in the top half of the league in rushing, passing, and total yards allowed.
But Graham’s contract with the Raiders has expired and he is already drawing interest around the league. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Graham is expected to interview for the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position and is a candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job:
The #Bengals plan to interview #Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham today for their DC job, per source.
Graham is also a candidate for the #Jaguars head coaching job. But his contract is up in Las Vegas and he has permission to interview for DC jobs now. pic.twitter.com/le350DGCec
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 7, 2025
It makes sense that Graham would have some suitors, considering the job he did this season. The Raiders dealt with a ton of injuries this season, most notably to star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who missed five games, and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who missed 12. Additionally cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennett missed multiple games as well.
Despite that, Graham kept the Raiders defense playing hard, physical football all season long. Crosby still was selected for the Pro Bowl and many feel linebacker Robert Spillane was deserving of a selection as well, not to mention the emergence of Adam Butler and K’Lavon Chaisson on the defensive line as well.
The Raiders have some decisions to make in regard to their coaching staff, but Patrick Graham already has teams lining up for his services, and deservedly so.
Antonio Pierce declines to comment on job status after Raiders season finale
Before any other decision can be made, the Raiders must figure out whether or not Antonio Pierce will return as head coach next season. And Pierce himself offered no insights following the Raiders’ Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Pierce simply said ‘no comment’ when asked about his job status in the post-game press conference, and when asked if he felt he had gotten a fair shake with all of the drama, trades, and injuries, Pierce added that all he could do is coach the 53 players he has in his locker room.
