Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback when the Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) visit the Kansas City Chiefs (10-1) 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 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
“Let’s call a spade a spade, the best team in football against the worst team in football,” Pierce said on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. “Let’s change the narrative. Let’s go out there and make it a dogfight, 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.”
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.
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O’Connell was under center the last time Las Vegas traveled to Kansas City. The Raiders got a 20-14 upset win last season on Christmas Day — despite the quarterback not completing a pass after the first quarter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Aidan O’Connell
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