The Interim of Excellence: Raiders Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly are setting the tone for diversity
By: Jackie Rae
The study conducted by Dr. Sonal Kumar, the assistant professor of Finance at Bryant University, noted that women of color, particularly Black women, made the best CEOs. The study suggested that Black women face the harshest forms of racial and gender discrimination and are, thus, better problem solvers.
Second on the list were white women. Given that white women have historically benefited more from Affirmative Action than any other group in the United States, one might argue that point. It would make sense if you did. However, the reminder that representation truly matters is crucial.
Having attended a school and worked in establishments where I was often the only Black person, I can attest that, at the very least, the lack of diversity is annoying and uncomfortable.
Lack of diversity has always been my concern with the NFL. Almost 60% of NFL players are Black men, yet for decades, it has been white General Managers moving Black men around the league as they see fit. White head coaches running the bodies of Black quarterbacks to the ground, and mostly white owners trying to prevent or silence players from speaking out about injustices against Black people in the country.
White men have consistently controlled the fate of Black men in the league. Anyone who doesn't see the lack of Black leadership in the NFL as problematic is probably someone you should be leery of. The Davis family has made it a point to set themselves apart from most of the NFL.
Not only do they have a Black woman as president, but they also have an incredibly diverse staff. Of the 27 members of their player personnel staff, 10 are Black men. A woman holds one of the three Football Administration positions and one of the five Football Operations positions. The Raiders coaching staff reflects their commitment to diversity, starting with Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce.
I admit that I am fond of undrafted players who make it into the league. It takes discipline and determination to succeed when you have been overlooked. Pierce entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and played with Washington for four years before signing with the New York Giants, becoming part of their Super Bowl XLII championship team, and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2006. It's quite impressive for an undrafted free agent.
He played in the league for nine years before returning to his hometown of Long Beach, California, and instilling that same determination in young men as head coach of the Long Beach Poly High School football program.
Before taking his coaching talents to the NFL, Pierce spent five seasons at Arizona State, serving as a linebacker coach, associate head coach, and defensive coordinator. In 2023, he joined the Raiders as a linebacker coach and tapped into his undrafted past.
Under Pierce's guidance, undrafted rookie Luke Masterson finished with 50 tackles (26 solo), giving him the third-most in the NFL and second-most in a single season in Raiders' history.
Now, Pierce is looking to drop the interim title and become a head coach. He is not the only one who wants to move beyond the interim title. Owner Mark Davis named Anthony "Champ" Kelly the Interim General Manager on Halloween.
Kelly played wide receiver and defensive back for the University of Kentucky from 1998 to 2001 and played in the United Indoor Football League from 2003 to 2006. While Kelly was a defensive standout for the UIF, becoming a two-time first-team UIF All-Star, his star seemed to shine a little brighter in the business world.
Kelly earned his bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Kentucky and a master's degree in Business Administration in 2003. For three years, he worked as a Software/Quality Engineer for IBM. Eventually, Kelly took his talents back to the UIF, serving as an NFL contract advisor and general manager/wide receivers coach for the UFI Lexington Horsemen.
It wasn't long before his football and NFL background led him to the Mile High City, starting as a college scout for the Denver Broncos. Kelly spent eight years with the Broncos, five of which he was the Assistant Director of Pro Personnel.
He then spent seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, becoming the Assistant Director of Player Personnel after spending two seasons as Director of Pro Scouting. He joined the Raiders as an Assistant GM in 2022, and after the firing of David Ziegler, he was named the interim GM.
Make no mistake; the Raiders have made it clear they plan to conduct an extensive search for a GM at the conclusion of the season. For Antonio Pierce, the odds of him landing the head coaching position are also not in his favor.
The "Interim" position only happens after everything has gone completely off the rails. In fact, they are so far gone that the powers that be feel it is better to remove what they deem part of the problem than to let the season play out.
For Pierce and Kelly, this is an extended on-the-job interview. Even if the Raiders win their next five games, they have no shot at making the playoffs. Without a real opportunity to turn things around, it is not likely that the viral photo we saw of Sandra Douglass Morgan standing between Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly is the same one we will see next season.
Nevertheless, the fact that two Black men were in a position to step into roles that we still have to fight to see them in — is a tremendous win. While I am hopeful this picture is one that we can all smile about for years to come, let's not overlook the small victories we have right now.
Congratulations, Sandra Douglass Morgan, Antonio Pierce, and Champ Kelly; you earned this moment.