Brandon Jacobs wants to see the Giants return to their glory days — and he thinks the key might be an old friend.
The former running back told TMZ Sports that ex-teammate Antonio Pierce would be an ideal fit to coach the team, even offering to pitch in himself. But given Pierce’s rocky stint in Las Vegas, that reunion might be more nostalgic than practical.
“I think the Giants have to bring people in that was a part of that dominating era for the Giants. I really believe that,” Jacobs said, via YouTube. “I think Antonio Pierce will be a great fit for the Giants. They know him well ... He knows the city well. He can be (somebody) for the young players to learn what not to do, what to do, and how to be a professional in New York. You know, just going forward with a bunch of different things. I know I’d be interested in helping.”
As appealing as a reunion between the Giants and Pierce sounds, there are some obvious downsides.
For starters, the Raiders stunk under him as head coach. Yes, the roster was a mess, but their terrible 4-13 record and bottom-three defensive grade (57.3) according to Pro Football Focus are obvious knocks against him. The latter point is especially damning considering Pierce’s status as a defensive-minded coach.
If not the head coach, would the Giants consider Pierce as a defensive coordinator? His resume would presume that wouldn’t be the best move.
He was never the defensive coordinator in Las Vegas (he went from linebackers coach, to interim coach to head coach for one season).
The last time Pierce was a defensive coordinator was with Arizona State in 2021, when he led a middle-of-the-pack Sun Devils defense that went 8-5 and had the 62nd-ranked defense, according to PFF.
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