Hours after apologizing for the hoopla he started last week, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce on Monday apparently started more hoopla – allegedly liking an Instagram post saying wide receiver Davante Adams may have played his last snap for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Adams, who has a weekly installment on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams, said Tuesday morning he hadn’t spoken to Pierce since the Instagram activity.
The nebulous “like” may have been a mistake, similar to the touchscreen mishap 49ers general manager John Lynch once committed while in church on Christmas Eve. While Pierce wasn’t in church – he likely was grinding at the Raiders’ Henderson headquarters preparing for an important division game at Denver on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX) – he’s not scheduled to meet with reporters again until Wednesday.
Nebulous also describes the AFC West, where the Raiders are locked in a three-way tie with the Broncos and Chargers, two games behind the uncertain Chiefs.
What is clear, though, is the Raiders’ off-field headlines are conspiring to steal the spotlight from another impressive Las Vegas victory. Missing their ironman defensive leader Maxx Crosby, the Raiders (2-2) authored a 20-16 win over Cleveland (1-3), getting a last-second sack from Charles Snowden to preserve the W. The Raiders also got a strong individual effort in their newfound running game from Alexander Mattison.
If the team trades Adams, who missed last week with a hamstring injury, don’t expect him to go to division-rival Kansas City. But do expect the Raiders to continue making a name for themselves as they chase the Chiefs in the division race.