Why Raiders Firing Antonio Pierce Not Great News For Patriots

There will be a new player in Sin City, and that’s not good for those already sitting at the table.

The Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday fired first-year head coach Antonio Pierce, as announced by the organization. Pierce is the second first-year head coach to be fired this offseason after the New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo.

Both Pierce’s Raiders and Mayo’s Patriots went 4-13 in their debut campaigns.

It’s not a great development for the Patriots or any other franchise in need of a new head coach. The vacancy in Las Vegas creates more competition for the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Patriots.

But in New England’s case, there’s more to it than that.

Mike Vrabel, one of the top coaching candidates this offseason, is viewed as the front-runner to land the job in Foxboro, Mass. But there’s no denying Vrabel has a well-established connection with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, who won championships with Vrabel in New England.

It was speculated whether the Brady-Vrabel connection could impact this offseason. Now that Las Vegas is searching, and given the money Raiders owner Al Davis has put into the franchise in recent years, it’s fair to wonder whether Vrabel could choose the heat in Vegas over the cold in New England.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote Sunday she expected Tom Brady would have “significant influence” in a potential head coaching search.

It might not be all bad news for the Patriots, however.

Russini also wrote Brady’s influence didn’t mean his immediate favorite was Vrabel. NFL writer Tony Pauline wrote last week about how the Raiders were expected to make a run at Vrabel if they moved on from Pierce. Those around the league, however, didn’t believe Vrabel wanted the Las Vegas job as he instead wanted the job in New England.

Vrabel choosing Brady over the Patriots, though, would be a tough pillow to swallow for the Foxboro Faithful.