Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce surprises everyone following loss to Dallas Cowboys

The Las Vegas Raiders, under the stewardship of head coach Antonio Pierce , were at a crossroads, needing a quarterback who could ignite the team's spirit and lead them into a new era. It was a battle between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew, two very different quarterbacks.

The battle lasted the entire offseason, through training camp, and through the second preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. The first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings was telling that maybe, just maybe, these two would be good in this new offense. Then, they were both sub-par against the Cowboys.

The preseason games were the battleground. In a particularly electric game against the Dallas Cowboys, Minshew's performance was a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

He threw for 95 yards, but it was his poise under pressure, his ability to rally the team after mistakes, that stood out. O'Connell, not to be outdone, had moments of brilliance, but it was that one costly interception that seemed to weigh heavier in Pierce's mind.

On Sunday, the day after the loss to the Cowboys, Antonio Pierce came forward with his decision.

"Gardner Minshew is going to be the starting quarterback for the 2024 season," Myself, Telesco, and Luke Getsy assessed it this morning. A lot of things went into it. It wasn't based on last night. There are a lot of factors, and we feel like Gardner gives us the best shot to get off to a fast start. That's who we are going with. We support him. Our team is behind him."

The decision wasn't just about stats or even performance in the preseason. It was about leadership, about bringing a team together, about the intangible spark that Minshew seemed to possess. He commands the huddle, he has experience, and Minshew consistently takes shots down the field.

The Raiders feel like this is the right decision.

Related: Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew is keeping the perfect mindset amidst the QB battle