HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback when the Las Vegas Raiders visit their AFC West rival and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Friday.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce made the announcement Wednesday, saying O’Connell had progressed well after breaking his right thumb on Oct. 20 in a 20-15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“He’s been dialed in obviously throughout this time that he’s been on (injured reserve),” Pierce said. “He’s been at all the meetings. He’s been very encouraging on the sideline. He’s got that laser-eye focus right now. Great opportunity for him.”
Gardner Minshew broke his left collarbone on Sunday in a game against the Denver Broncos and is out for the season.
The Raiders could have gone with Desmond Ridder to replace Minshew. Las Vegas signed Ridder off Arizona’s practice squad on Oct. 21. He started 13 games for Atlanta last season, passing for 2,836 yards and 12 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.
Pierce opted for O’Connell, who became the starter midway through last season and went 5-4 the rest of the way.
Minshew beat him out for the job in the preseason but then struggled through five games.
Pierce then put O’Connell in the starting lineup on Oct. 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. O’Connell completed 27 of 40 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown with an interception in the 32-13 loss.
Then O’Connell was injured early the following week at Los Angeles and was placed on IR, sidelining him for at least four weeks.
The Raiders on Monday designated him to return to practice, opening a three-week window in which O’Connell could be activated. That came this week.
“He carried himself like a starter, even when he was on IR,” Pierce said. “He did that when he was a backup. He did a great job of just being engaged with the players, engaged on the sideline, in meeting rooms. He’s the one speaking up, talking. You could just look at his eyes. You can look at his demeanor.
“He wasn’t a guy like: ‘All right, I’m out for the season. I’m not going to play. No, I’ll be back. I’m ready to be back.’ And he worked his tail off to get back.”
O’Connell has a short week to prepare, complicated further because the Raiders aren’t having full practices.
He was the last opposing quarterback to win at Arrowhead Stadium. Even though he didn’t complete a pass after the first quarter, the Raiders walked away 20-14 winners in that Christmas Day game.
Las Vegas can only play a little bit of a spoiler this week. The Raiders at 2-9 have lost seven consecutive games, and the Chiefs have their sights on becoming the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row.
“Let’s call a spade a spade,” Pierce said. “The best team in football against the worst team in football. Let’s change the narrative, right? Let’s go out there and make it a dog fight. Let’s make it ugly. Let’s make it scrappy. It’s Black Friday. Let’s create a little chaos. Let’s get back to Raider football and have some fun and some personality. Let it loose.”
