Raiders Rumors: Maxx Crosby 'Likely to Request Trade' If Antonio Pierce Isn't HC

Maxx Crosby has already made it known he wants Antonio Pierce to be the full-time head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, but he could make things very hard on the franchise if they don't end up hiring the 45-year-old.

Per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Crosby is "likely to request a trade" if the Raiders don't retain Pierce.

It's not often that a player is as vocal about wanting their team to hire a head coach as Crosby has been with Pierce.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported on Friday that Pierce was going to interview with the Tennessee Titans, prompting a response from Crosby.

Pierce's credentials include going 5-4 as the interim head coach after replacing Josh McDaniels on Oct. 31. The highlight of his run was a 20-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day.

It was the Raiders' first victory over the Chiefs since the 2020 season. They finished 8-9 overall, with the defense ranking ninth in points allowed per game. It was their first time in the top 10 in that category since 2002.

The history of interim head coaches getting the full-time job with a team is dubious. It's happened 11 times since 2000, with Mike Tice (Minnesota Vikings), Doug Marrone (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys) being the only ones from that group to last more than two seasons with the team that hired them.

While that track record could be cause for concern, it's also in the Raiders' best interest to do what they can to keep Crosby happy. The 26-year-old was named to the All-Pro team this season for the second time in his career. He tied for the league lead with 23 tackles for loss and ranked sixth with 14.5 sacks.