Matt Leinart floats Deion Sanders as potential Las Vegas Raiders coach, Antonio Pierce replacement

Two days after the 2024 season ended, the Las Vegas Raiders officially moved on from Antonio Pierce. He spent just one year as the full-time coach, but USC legend Matt Leinart floated an interesting name for his replacement: Deion Sanders.

Pierce initially took over as the Raiders’ interim head coach in 2023 following the departure of Josh McDaniels. The players then voiced their support for him to get the full-time role, and the franchise removed the interim tag after the season. However, after a 4-13 record in 2024, Las Vegas is again embarking on a coaching search.

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Now, the search is on for a replacement. Leinart quickly suggested Coach Prime, who’s coming off an impressive turnaround in his second year as Colorado head coach.

Coach Prime to the Raiders…… who says no?

— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) January 7, 2025

“Coach Prime to the Raiders…… who says no?” Leinart wrote on X Tuesday afternoon.

Colorado went 4-8 in Sanders’ first season at the helm in 2023, but flipped the script with a 9-4 record in 2024. That came after an impressive two-year run at Jackson State, where Coach Prime went 27-6.

The idea of Sanders to the Raiders is especially interesting considering their quarterback situation. They had a revolving door at the position this year with Aidan O’Connell, Desmond Ridder and Gardner Minshew getting meaningful snaps, and the sense is they’ll be in the market for a QB in this year’s NFL Draft.

Deion Sanders’ son, Shedeur, is also one of the top quarterback prospects on the board after reaching the 4,000-yard mark this past season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked him as the No. 1 QB and the No. 4 overall player in his latest Big Board late last week. However, a late win moved the Raiders down to the No. 6 overall pick behind quarterback-needy teams such as the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns.

Coach Prime has said multiple times he doesn’t plan on leaving Colorado for the NFL, though, and especially pushed back on the idea he and Shedeur would be a “package deal” in the league. He also shot down rumors he had “preferences” for which team drafts his sons.

“It will be multiple IDIOTS that will say things that totally aren’t true regarding where I would like @ShedeurSanders & @ShiloSanders to play in the @nfl,” Sanders wrote on X late last month. “If I say it I will say it directly to whom it may concern not a attention seeker. I do know @nflcommish personally!”

The Raiders’ opening is one of six around the NFL, and virtual interviews can begin this week for top-seeded playoff teams on a bye. In-person interviews can then get underway Jan. 20.