Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce sent out a clear message to Raider Nation about potentially losing out on the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a 19-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday afternoon.
“Talk to (general manager) Tom Telesco,” Pierce told reporters.
Pierce could be suggesting that Telesco should move up since the Raiders missed out on drafting a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft when Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye went Nos. 1, 2 and 3 to the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, respectively.
The win dropped the Raiders (3-12) to the No. 6 overall pick, according to Tankathon.
Most of Raider Nation wanted the Raiders to lose to the Jaguars in hopes of drafting Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Entering the game, the Raiders sat in the first two spots.
Pierce, however, was happy about the win and said, “It was long overdue.”
The Raiders hadn’t won a game since Sept. 15 after defeating the Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Sept. 29 at Allegiant Stadium.
Raiders starting quarterback Aidan O’Connell did his part to give his team a win. He finished the game completing 24-of-38 for 257 yards and ran seven times for 12 yards.
O’Connell said he was not paying attention to the outside noise.
“I don’t read anything, so I don’t really hear it,” he said. “I think ignorance is definitely bliss, and that’s how I’m rolling.”
O’Connell may be making a case for himself to be the QB1 after he was taken in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
O’Connell, however, was beaten out before the season opener by Gardner Minshew, who is on injured reserve in late November.
The Raiders’ remaining games are against the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.
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