Arizona State football fans likely cringe at the mention of Antonio Pierce's name, maybe just as much if not more than the thought of the Herm Edwards era of the program.
Pierce was the defensive coordinator, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator from 2018-21 in Tempe under Edwards, a time when the fanbase was fed what we now know was false hope. The landings of massive recruits like quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall and Johnny Wilson led to some signature wins and upsets but ultimately no season better than eight wins (2019).
That era ended in disaster with Edwards and Pierce implicated in an illegal recruiting scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the NCAA handed down penalties and the school self-imposed a one-year bowl ban. Edwards and Pierce were already long gone from campus by then, secure in new jobs with no repercussions reaching them.
Just a reminder that Antonio Pierce was hit with an 8-year "show-cause" order by the NCAA. If he secures a job by an NCAA member school during that time, he is suspended from all athletically related activities for 100% of the first season. Also, a reminder of what he did ... https://t.co/eSdowWbYxh pic.twitter.com/HrniyZXQRV
— Paola Boivin (@PaolaBoivin) January 7, 2025
Pierce in particular was hired as the head coach of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders but just Tuesday was fired after just one season at the helm after going 4-13.
ASU fans revel in Antonio Pierce's Raiders firing and embrace the petty online
Of course, Sun Devil fans spared Pierce no mercy online, reveling in the irony and karma that seemingly caught up to the former ASU coach.
ASU fans with the AP news pic.twitter.com/Xe62bUcsNO
— Speak of the Devils (@SotDPodcast) January 7, 2025
ASU football skyrocketing and Antonio Pierce getting canned. You love to see it. #ForksUp https://t.co/Sh8yfuY9m5
— Waldo (@hidinginab00k) January 7, 2025
2024-25 season
— Danny Shapiro (@DannyShapiro13) January 7, 2025
ASU football: 11 wins, Big 12 champions, CFP playoff
Antonio Pierce: 4 wins, last place, fired#karma
As many have noted, Pierce cannot return to coaching in college football until at least 2032 due to the eight-year show-cause penalty the NCAA handed down to him. That means if a program is crazy enough to hire him, he would have to serve a one-year suspension from all athletic-related activities.
While the future looks grim, at least in the short term for Pierce, ASU football emerged from the darkness much sooner than anyone thought. New head coach Kenny Dillingham experienced growing pains during the 2023 bowl-ban season (3-9) but quickly turned things around and led the Sun Devils to an 11-win, conference-winning, College Football Playoff-appearing miracle season in 2024.
This moment may be a guilty pleasure for most Sun Devil fans but ultimately a man has lost his job. Granted, Pierce's wealth leaves him in better position than most but it's still a tough pill to swallow when he was only given a single season and a very poorly assembled roster to work with.
Pierce is still a Super Bowl-winning legend for the New York Giants and shouldn't have too much trouble landing on his feet in the near future.