Antonio Pierce is already hyping up one Raiders quarterback

Most would suggest the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback room is a position of need, but head coach Antonio Pierce is not going there.

Pierce acknowledged that the Raiders may look to the NFL Draft to add to their quarterback room, with the team holding the No. 13 overall pick. However, he also suggested that even if the Raiders do add another quarterback, Aidan O’Connell had “earned” the opportunity to compete for the starting job in 2024.

“At the end of the day, listen, Aidan O’Connell played his a– off. He did a helluva job for us,” Pierce said, via Coral Smith of NFL.com. “You’re talking about a kid that has the mental toughness to play in the National Football League. Whatever happens and whatever we do it has to go through Aidan O’Connell. Being honest with you because he’s earned that right.”

Pierce clearly seems to like O’Connell’s mental attributes. The quarterback put up a rather pedestrian stat line as a rookie, throwing for 2,218 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in ten starts. Four of those touchdown passes game in a Week 15 blowout against the Chargers, though the Raiders did go 5-5 in his starts.

The Raiders already brought in a veteran quarterback to challenge O’Connell for the job. Despite that, Pierce seems to suggest that the starting role is O’Connell’s to lose, at least to start training camp.