Raiders' Antonio Pierce Given 8-Year NCAA Show-Cause Penalty for Violations at ASU

Antonio Pierce is a head coach in the NFL now with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he will face significant hurdles if he ever plans on returning to college football in a coaching capacity.

That is because the NCAA announced Thursday he was given an eight-year show-cause order for violations he committed when he was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator of Arizona State. In addition to the show-cause, he will be suspended from all athletic activities for his entire first season of employment if he ever returns to the college game.

Pierce was given the punishment for his role in "a program wide effort to engage in impermissible recruiting activities during the COVID-19 dead period."

This comes after the NCAA revealed in April that it punished Arizona State for recruiting violations that occurred under former head coach Herm Edwards.

Arizona State was issued four years of probation, an undisclosed fine and recruiting restrictions that included reduced scholarships. What's more, it was forced to vacate games in which ineligible players competed, and Edwards was given a five-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA.

However, the program did not receive a bowl ban after self-imposing one last year.

Pierce resigned from his roles as associate head coach and defensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 season.

The NCAA's latest announcement said the current Raiders coach "violated the principles of ethical conduct" because he was personally involved in the violations of setting up recruiting inducements for prospects and their families during the COVID-19 dead period.

Among the impermissible benefits provided were free meals, apparel, airfare, lodging, tryouts, tours and entertainment. Eight players who committed to Arizona State were eventually deemed ineligible.

"Several members of the coaching staff indicated during their interviews with enforcement staff that Pierce 'ran the show' within the Arizona State football program, and they feared that not complying with Pierce's directives would result in losing their jobs," the announcement read.

It also explained that he did not cooperate with the investigation outside of an interview with enforcement staff and "failed to provide pertinent financial documentation requested by the enforcement staff" while also denying being involved in the impermissible recruiting visits.

He wasn't the only one punished, as former noncoaching staff member Anthony Garnett was issued a five-year show-cause order.

Pierce was initially hired to Edwards' staff ahead of the 2018 season and spent four years with the program. Arizona State went 25-18 during that span.

While it is a significant punishment by NCAA standards, it won't impact Pierce much as long as he remains in the NFL. The former Washington and New York Giants linebacker is in his first full season as the head coach of the Raiders after he was the interim coach for nine games last year following the firing of Josh McDaniels.

He is 7-6 in 13 games as the coach of Las Vegas.