Raiders won’t retain offensive coordinator
Among the priorities facing new Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is deciding on a new offensive coordinator.
On Monday, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Bo Hardegree, the Raiders’ interim offensive coordinator for the final nine games this season, will not be retained.
That means Pierce will be starting over on offense, as the Raiders have permitted their offensive assistants to seek employment elsewhere.
They began the process Monday to find a new coordinator by seeking permission from the Rams to interview Zac Robinson, who has been with the club since 2019 and spent last season as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. They will also interview Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher.
Robinson, a former Oklahoma State quarterback, played three seasons in the NFL with the Patriots, Seahawks, Lions and Bengals.
Before joining the Rams, the 37-year-old Robinson was a senior analyst at Pro Football Focus and was one of the site’s pro and college quarterback evaluators.
The 37-year-old Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016 and is considered an in-house favorite to take over their offensive coordinator position vacated by Brian Callahan, who was hired as head coach Monday by the Titans.
Pitcher, though, would get play-calling responsibilities in Las Vegas as opposed to Cincinnati, where head coach Zac Taylor calls the plays. Pitcher got his first NFL coaching job under then-Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who served as a consultant to Pierce during Pierce’s interim stint in the final nine games of the season. Lewis is expected to stay on Pierce’s staff in an unspecified role.
Hardegree was elevated from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator when head coach Josh McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi were fired Oct. 31.
Under Hardegree, the offense played well in spurts but never consistently at a high level with rookie Aidan O’Connell at quarterback. Its high point was a 49-point outburst in a 63-21 victory over the Chargers on Dec. 14. Its low point came four days earlier in a 3-0 loss to the Vikings.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
