Aidan O’Connell to replace Gardner Minshew as Raiders’ starting quarterback vs. Steelers

Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6 in place of Gardner Minshew.

Head coach Antonio Pierce announced the decision on Wednesday. The Raiders are making the change after a 2-3 start, including a Week 5 loss to the AFC West-rival Denver Broncos.

Pierce didn’t offer much detail when asked why he made the decision.

O’Connell started 10 games for the Raiders as a rookie last season while Pierce served as the team’s interim head coach. He completed 62.1% of his passes for 201.6 yards per game with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Raiders went 5-5 in games that O’Connell started.

The Raiders signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract in the offseason after he previously served as the backup quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. Minshew is a sixth-year NFL veteran who joined the Raiders with 37 games of experience as an NFL starter for three different teams.

Pierce named Minshew as starting quarterback after a competition for the job in preseason and training camp.

In five starts this season, Minshew has completed 70.7% of his passes for 202.8 yards per game with four touchdowns and five interceptions. The Raiders rank 24th in the league in total offense and 15th in passing yards per game.

Pierce benched Minshew for O’Connell in the third quarter of Sunday’s 34-18 loss to the Broncos after Minshew had thrown his second interception of the game. Minshew’s first interception took place in the end zone and was returned 100 yards by Patrick Surtain II for a pick 6. The Raiders had a chance to take a two-possession lead at the time of the first interception but instead found themselves in a 10-10 tie.

The Raiders trailed 20-10 at the time of the quarterback switch. Minshew completed 12 of 17 passes against the Broncos with one touchdown and the two interceptions.

O’Connell completed 10 of 20 passes for 94 yards with no touchdowns and an interception after replacing Minshew.

The quarterback change signals more turmoil in a so-far tumultuous season in Las Vegas. After Week 3, Pierce criticized his players for making “business decisions” in a blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers. Now the Raiders are fielding questions about trade rumors involving All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. Those rumors have been magnified by social activity from Pierce suggesting that he’s in favor of trading Adams.

Adams has sat the last two weeks with a hamstring injury amid the trade rumors. Pierce told reporters on Monday that Adams’ hamstring “is getting there” and that Adams is “in a good head space.”