marcus peters
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Former Las Vegas Raiders CB Marcus Peters.
Few teams are able to leave a city but still have a strong presence with the local fan base. Though the Las Vegas Raiders have left Oakland, California, twice, there are still many fans who continue to root for the franchise.
Former cornerback Marcus Peters grew up a fan of the team and was born and raised in Oakland. This led to him joining the Raiders for his final season, despite them being in Las Vegas.
Peters stopped playing football after his one season with the Raiders, but that doesn’t mean he’s done with the sport. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Peters has accepted the head coaching job at McClymonds High School in Oakland.
That is the school where he played high school football, and his father, Michael Peters, coached there for 33 years. He was the head coach there for 13 of those years. Marcus Peters has some big shoes to fill, but his NFL experience should be an exciting addition for the school.
“We are excited to see him now step into the role of head coach,” the announcement from the school said. “His experience at the highest level of the game, combined with his deep connection to our school, makes this truly an exciting moment for our football family.”
Peters Was an Elite Player in His Prime
Peters had a difficult season during his lone year with the Raiders, which is why he decided to step away. However, there was a time when he was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
He was a first-round pick coming out of Washington and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Peters was known for his fiery personality and viral postgame moments.
He was first-team All-Pro once in his career, and second-team All-Pro twice. In addition to the Raiders and Chiefs, Peters also played for the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens. He tore his ACL in 2021 and was never the same player after that. During his peak, he was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
More Players Getting Into Coaching
Peters may not have any experience coaching, but those high school players are going to be very excited about the chance to play for an All-Pro player who is also a school legend. He has played for three of the best coaches in the NFL in Andy Reid, Sean McVay and John Harbaugh.
Even with the lack of actual coaching experience, he should have a good idea of what it takes to succeed. This follows a recent trend of former players getting into head coaching without going the typical assistant route.
Players like DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick are coaching college programs. Deion Sanders has done great work with Colorado. Even former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce got his start coaching at the high school level. It remains to be seen if Peters has bigger plans to rise in the coaching ranks or is just happy coaching at his former school.