After the Las Vegas Raiders’ 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers, head coach Antonio Pierce did not mince words in his post-game press conference.
Despite being favored, the Raiders struggled, held scoreless in the second and third quarters, with star players like tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Davante Adams proving ineffective. Pierce was visibly frustrated, particularly with the effort displayed by certain players.
“I think as the game went on—I’m not saying it was the entire team—but there were definitely some individuals who made business decisions,” Pierce remarked, implying that some players weren’t giving their all. He hinted that there could be consequences for such actions, stating, “We’ll make business decisions going forward, as well.”
The loss was particularly hard to swallow, given that the Panthers, led by veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, were widely regarded as one of the worst teams in the NFL.
Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, leading his team to their first win of the season. Pierce admitted there were no positive takeaways from the game, but he gave credit to the Panthers for playing well.
Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, when asked about Pierce’s “business decisions” comment, expressed uncertainty, saying:
“I feel like, I don’t know, this is tough for me to identify that.”
Adams’ response came amidst rumors of his own dissatisfaction with the team, though he has publicly denied being unhappy.
Pierce’s strong statements have shaken the locker room, and with the season still in its early stages, the Raiders will need to decide whether they can turn things around or fall deeper into the cycle of underperformance and drama that has plagued them.
