Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was strikingly candid while previewing the team’s matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Raiders, sitting at 2-9 after losing seven straight games, face a 10-1 Chiefs team tied with the Detroit Lions for the NFL’s best record.
Their only loss came against the Buffalo Bills. “Let’s call a spade a spade,” Pierce said. “Best team in football against the worst team in football.”
It’s a bold motivational approach by Pierce, who wants to shift the narrative for this matchup.
“Let’s go out there and make it a dogfight. Let’s make it ugly, make it scrappy. It’s Black Friday,” Pierce continued.
“Create a little chaos, get back to Raider football, and have some fun.”
Despite his intentions, the statement didn’t sit well with many fans. “Calling your own team the worst team in football is certainly a choice,” one fan said.
Another joked, “Remember when we wanted this guy to coach so bad, and now he’s made the team worse, lmao.”
Some fans argued the Chiefs aren’t the best team, suggesting that honor belongs to the Bills or Lions.
“Can we get a community note here?” a fan quipped. “The Detroit Lions are the best team in football.”
The betting spread underscores the mismatch, with the Chiefs as 12.5-point favorites, one of the largest this NFL season, per ESPN BET.