Shirtless Rob Ryan, Raiders Coaches Participate in Conditioning Test at NFL Camp

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce wasn't content to put just his players through the wringer this offseason.

According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, Raiders assistant coaches were asked to perform a less intensive version of the conditioning test that's reserved for players reporting to the team.

Pierce told Tafur the players "laughed a lot" while watching a video of their coaches working out.

"We had Rob (Ryan) go out there with his shirt off and belly out," he said. "We had Marvin Lewis, 65 years old, and Joe Philbin on the bike.

"And then you had a couple of guys who played in the league thinking that they were sprinters still, and they came up lame on a couple of the runs."

The tactic obviously helped to lighten the mood, but Pierce said he also "wanted to challenge our coaches" and make them focus on their own health.

Ryan, who's a senior defensive assistant, told Tafur he shed eight points thanks to the endeavor.

"The man's making me do it, so I started working out a little bit each day a couple of months in advance," he said. "They let me go on the bike rather than face injury. It was cool, and I actually lost weight out of the deal. When it was over it was a proud moment."

The Raiders went 5-4 under Pierce in 2023 after he took over for Josh McDaniels in the middle of the year. As much as their performance on the field improved in the second half, his biggest impact may have come behind the scenes.

The 45-year-old set a tone in his first press conference as the interim coach and emphasized how wearing the silver and black carried higher expectations.

Pierce's approach hasn't changed since he was promoted to the full-time role.