Antonio Pierce joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 as a linebackers coach and quickly advanced to interim head coach in 2023-24, eventually earning the full-time position. Before his time in the NFL, Pierce worked under head coach Herm Edwards at Arizona State University (ASU) from 2018 to 2021, where he held multiple roles, including assistant coach, head of recruiting, linebackers coach, defensive coordinator, and associate head coach.
Both Pierce and Edwards left ASU following allegations of recruiting violations, which the NCAA addressed in a detailed report released on Thursday. According to the report, Pierce was central to organizing improper recruiting activities for Edwards, both on and off-campus. These violations occurred during the NCAA’s COVID-19 “dead period,” when in-person contact between staff and recruits was strictly prohibited.
The NCAA report outlines that Pierce was essentially the “quarterback” of these recruiting efforts, coordinating unauthorized visits and meetings with recruits during a time when such interactions were not allowed. In April, the NCAA approved a “negotiated resolution” in which ASU and four other individuals, including Pierce, accepted the violations and related penalties. One of the key sanctions included a one-year postseason bowl ban for ASU in 2023.
When questioned about the NCAA’s report on Friday, Pierce declined to comment, as reported by Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The NCAA has also imposed an eight-year “show-cause” order on Pierce, which means that if he were to return to college coaching, the penalties would follow him, making it challenging for him to find a new role in collegiate football.
While this punishment significantly affects Pierce’s prospects in the college football world, its relevance in the NFL is minimal. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noted that the NCAA’s sanctions have no direct impact on Pierce’s current position with the Raiders. However, Florio did raise the question of whether the NFL might impose its own penalties now that the details of the NCAA report have come to light.
ASU, meanwhile, will not face any additional penalties beyond last year’s self-imposed bowl ban and reduced scholarship allotments over the past three seasons, including the current 2024 season. The resolution of this case closes a controversial chapter for ASU, but the consequences for Pierce may linger depending on how the NFL views his involvement in the violations.
