Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed Thursday that rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell will be the team’s starter going forward, replacing Jimmy Garoppolo. The coach went on to say that O’Connell gives them “the best chance” as the team looks for ways to bounce back from a 3-5 record.
Pierce took over as head coach shortly following last week’s Monday Night Football game, which the Raiders lost to the Lions 26-14. Former head coach Josh McDaniels was fired by owner Mark Davis, ending a tumultuous and unsuccessful era for the team. It appears that O’Connell will take over under center to accompany this massive personnel change.
O’Connell, 25, has already made his first NFL start, as he had to fill in for an injured Garoppolo on Oct. 1 in a losing effort against the Chargers. When McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler were still in charge, it’s clear that they didn’t fully trust O’Connell. When Garoppolo had to miss Week 7 with a back injury, the staff decided to start 37-year-old journeyman Brian Hoyer in his place against the Bears. O’Connell eventually took over after Hoyer did little, but the team still lost 30-12. In his two appearances this season, he has thrown for 313 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Garoppolo joined the Raiders during the offseason, replacing Derek Carr with the intention of providing a spark for the underperforming team. Instead, he himself has become a focal point of the team’s mediocrity, missing some time with injuries and throwing nine interceptions to seven touchdowns in six games.
O’Connell will become an everyday starter in the NFL after four seasons at Purdue, where he started in his last two seasons. In 2021, he threw for 3,712 yards and 28 touchdowns, leading the team to a 9-4 overall record. The Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 Draft.
