Family Affair: Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Hires Son
Antonio Pierce, fresh off earning his head coaching gig for the Las Vegas Raiders, is hiring his son De’Andre as an assistant offensive coach. On its face, it sounds like…

De’Andre Pierce is back in the locker room with his dad Antonio
Harry How via Getty ImagesAntonio Pierce, fresh off earning his head coaching gig for the Las Vegas Raiders, is hiring his son De'Andre as an assistant offensive coach.
On its face, it sounds like nepotism. After all, the job should go for the best person for the job, not just your offspring. But De'Andre has some football chops of his own.
He was a captain of his high school team at Long Beach Polytechnic High School where his head coach was... Antonio Pierce. But hey, Long Beach Poly is a great high school that generates more NFL-caliber players than any other.
De'Andre went onto Boise State and later transferred to Arizona State University where, let's see here... he played underneath... Antonio Pierce, who was the defensive coordinator. Oh boy.
After graduating, De'Andre moved on to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as their football program's defensive quality control coach. After one year there, he is headed to the big show as an offensive quality control coach for the Silver & Black.
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Antonio Pierce Hiring His Son For Raiders Gig Is Nothing New In The NFL
Of course, it is easy to point at this and say "favoritism," but hiring family members to work close to you in the locker room is nothing new in the National Football League.
An article from USA Today found that around 35% of all the head coaches in the league were related to coaches that are either currently or used to be in the NFL. It also found that a several lower level coaches serving in the league are closely related to a coach in the league. Heck, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan almost made history with his dad Mike for being the first father-son to both head coach NFL teams to a Super Bowl victory.
Big names like former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick hired both of his sons, Stephen and Brian, as assistant coaches with the team. But maybe there is more than meets the eye.
In Belichick's case, even his daughter Amanda is a head coach. She has led the Holy Cross women's lacrosse program for nearly a decade. Did the name help? Maybe. But you don't get to stay in the gig if you eventually stink up the place. Ask Bill.
When you're De'Andre Pierce, odds are the pressure is higher - not lower - given the optics. Antonio Pierce earned the gig and he gets to pick the soldiers he wants to fight with. We'll see what happens. September will be here before you know it.
2024 Super Bowl: 10 Best Commercials
Super Bowl LVIII is in the books, so let's look back at one of the biggest draws to the Big Game: The commercials.
In 2024, the Super Bowl commercials offered a wide variety for the millions of viewers who tuned in. Many major films released trailers, including Wicked, Twisters and Deadpool & Wolverine.
As expected, plenty of food/drink/snack brands bought ads during the Super Bowl. Many of them brought the funny, like Dunkin' and Reese's. Others offered fun pop culture moments, like Nerds, M&Ms, and e.l.f cosmetics.
Speaking of pop culture, celebrities were everywhere in the 2024 Super Bowl commercials. There was truly someone for everyone. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin showed up with a mullet in an ad for Kawaski. Meanwhile, Christopher Walken was confronted with hilarious impressions in an ad for BMW. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito reunited for State Farm, and FanDuel honored the late Carl Weathers. Uber Eats had a ton of star power in their ad with Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Jelly Roll, Usher and David and Victoria Beckham. However, Verizon may have had the biggest star moment with Beyoncé in their ad.
Obviously, these ads cost millions to produce, but the cost of the airtime alone was worth millions. According to The Wall Street Journal, the average cost for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial was $7 million. The cost has gone up significantly since 2010. Back then, the average cost for a 30-second spot was $2.6 million. However, the most mind-blowing price WSJ shared was the cost of an ad during the first Super Bowl in 1967. All of those years ago, when the Big Game was broadcast on NBC and CBS, a 30-second ad had a whopping price tag of $42,000.
Without further ado, here is our list of the ten best commercials that aired during Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.
Verizon
When it comes to the 2024 Super Bowl commercials, you have to start with Verizon. Their surprise spot starred Beyoncé as she tried to break the internet and the Verizon network. While Bey couldn't break Verizon, she broke major news announcing her eighth studio album, Act II. The album drops on March 29, and two preview tracks -- "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" -- are now available. That's one incredible way to announce new music!
Uber Eats
The "forget" premise of Uber Eats' Super Bowl ad was really clever. Jennifer Aniston forgetting about David Schwimmer? Jelly Roll forgetting he had a bunch of face tattoos? David and Victoria Beckham being stumped on the name of the girl group she was once in? Very funny, and tons of star power, which is what these ads are all about.
State Farm
Neighbor? No, "Neighbaaa!" This State Farm ad showed that Arnold Schwarzenegger still has incredible comedic timing. Plus, his chemistry with Danny DeVito is still perfection. This ad makes us want to get to the choppa.
CeraVe
Whoever thought of the concept for this CeraVe ad deserves a major raise. The skincare brand bought ad time during Super Bowl LVIII, and who could blame them with such a funny ad. Michael Cera isn't the first celebrity you'd think of for such a big commercial, but he's absolutely perfect here. Of course, the dermatologists that developed CeraVe's products seem less than enthused.
BMW
One word: Wow! Christopher Walken starred in this spot from BMW, and it's proof that nearly everyone has a Walken impression. The Usher cameo was a clever added bonus. Much like the CeraVe add, whoever thought of this ad deserves a major raise.
Dunkin'
This ad from Dunkin' was a sequel to their ad from last year's Super Bowl. Unlike most sequels, this ad did not disappoint. Ben Affleck showed up to the recording studio where wife Jennifer Lopez is working, but he's not alone. Ben has Jack Harlow, Tom Brady and Matt Damon with him. Jenny clearly looks unimpressed, and Matt is mortified. Another outstanding ad from Dunkin'!
Reese's Cups
Reese's didn't have any celebs in their 30-second spot, but they made up for it in sheer weirdness. The physical comedy was out of control. Someone jumped out of a window! An old lady launched herself through a coffee table! Also, we can't wait to try the Caramel Big Cup. It sounds delicious!
T-Mobile
T-Mobile held auditions in their Super Bowl ad for their next "Magenta Status" spokesperson, or in the case of Bradley and Gloria Cooper, spokespeople. Not to be outdone, Suits stars Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht also submitted an audition. Other celebs vying for the T-Mobile gig were Jennifer Hudson, Common and Laura Dern. Zach Braff and Donald Faison appeared at the end of the spot a little miffed about even having to audtion since they appeared in T-Mobile's Super Bowl ad last year.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Speaking of Suits, Rick Hoffman and Gina Torres star in this ad along with Judge Judy for e.l.f. Cosmetics. Referring to the iconic television personality as "Judge Beauty" was quite clever. Plus, it's a nice reminder that e.l.f. offers a wide range of great products at great prices. Not to mention, e.l.f. Cosmetics are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. "In e.l.f. we Trust," indeed!
Kawasaki
A bald eagle with a mullet! A turtle with a mullet! A grizzly bear with a mullet! "Stone Cold" Steve Austin with a mullet! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!