HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders and Pete Carroll have reached an agreement for the veteran coach to become the franchise’s head coach on a three-year contract with a team option for the fourth year, sources tell Adam ESPN’s Schefter.
Carroll, who will turn 74 on September 15, is one of three head coaches who have led a team to a college national championship (USC) and a Super Bowl title (Seattle Seahawks). Barry Switzer (Oklahoma and the Dallas Cowboys) and Jimmy Johnson (Miami and the Cowboys) are the others.
Carroll will also be the Raiders’ fifth coach, including interims, since the franchise moved to Las Vegas from Oakland in 2020, following Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia, Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce and the team’s ninth coach, including interims, since Raiders owner Mark Davis took over following the death of his father Al Davis in 2011: Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Gruden, Bisaccia, McDaniels and Pierce.
Carroll, the winningest coach in Seahawks history, takes over a team in the midst of a rebuild. He has had success at USC and Seattle in similar situations and quickly made both programs competitive. The Raiders obviously hope a rejuvenated Carroll can do it again. Taking a closer look, NFL Nation reporters Paul Gutierrez and Brady Henderson answer four big questions about Carroll’s hiring. National reporter Jeremy Fowler talks about what he’s hearing about the recruiting, and draft analyst Matt Miller takes it to the draft. Finally, analyst Ben Solak rates the hiring.
Why did you hire Pete Carroll?
Having had four head coaches since 2021, the Raiders need stability. Carroll will provide it to you. Yes, he’ll turn 74 this year, but he’s a young 74-year-old and his youthful exuberance and positive attitude not only lit up the Raiders facility when he interviewed him in person, according to team sources, but were also major selling points for to get the job.
Carroll’s veteran presence also fits well with rookie general manager John Spytek. Carroll was the most successful coach still on the market, and in a division with coaches Andy Reid in Kansas City, Sean Payton in Denver and Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles, Carroll’s resume stacks up well. Carroll is a well-known asset, something the Raiders have been lacking as head coach since Gruden resigned. Or did he miss Carroll’s Super Bowl XLVIII title, two NFC championships and 10 playoff appearances in 14 years with the Seahawks? Few expect the Raiders to make the postseason right away, but Carroll is expected to provide enough experience to make them respectable. — Gutierrez
How much involvement/influence was there on Tom Brady’s part?
Everything you would expect from a minority owner who owns only about 10% of a team but has a significant platform. Here’s a theory: Brady may have actually been more involved in hiring Spytek, his former college teammate at Michigan and former friend of the Buccaneers front office, as the Raiders’ general manager. The conspiracy theory says that if Brady got his man in GM, he wouldn’t be as involved in selecting a coach. Brady is now a major player in the Raiders’ decision-making, but the final decision will always rest with owner Mark Davis. — Gutierrez
What is the most pressing problem facing Carroll?
Who is the quarterback and when does Russell Wilson show up in Las Vegas and start raising his knees on the charter flight? I joke. A bit. Because while Aidan O’Connell has shown he can be useful, the Raiders need an upgrade in an AFC West division that now features Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix. Wilson would be a bridge guy, no doubt, and we make this assumption based on the success and relationship Carroll and Wilson had in Seattle.
With the No. 6 pick in the draft, it’s hard to see the Raiders in a position to select the likes of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. Additionally, since Carroll is a defensive-minded coach, his choice as offensive coordinator will be a harbinger of the style he wants to employ with first-team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers at his disposal.
Defensively, Carroll will have to team up with Spytek to decide the group of free agents on that side of the ball, from defensive ends Malcolm Koonce and K’Lavon Chaisson to linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo, cornerback Nate Hobbs and safeties Tre ‘von. Moehrig and Marcus Epps. But the Raiders have more than $108 million in cap space. — Gutierrez
What type of bus will Las Vegas get to Carroll?
A culture builder and a winner. Carroll helped develop such a strong environment in Seattle that, during the search for his replacement, Seahawks owner Jody Allen ordered general manager John Schneider to find someone to keep him around. Carroll brings the same optimistic energy every day, win or lose, a consistency his players appreciated. They also loved how much he takes care of veterans and makes things fun, a big reason why he is considered the best players’ coach and why the Seahawks went from an NFL outpost to a place where players wanted to be there during his tenure; some Seahawks even left under difficult circumstances and then returned after seeing the grass wasn’t greener elsewhere.
Schneider often said that one of Carroll’s greatest strengths is his ability to instill confidence, something that will be helpful for a young, rebuilding Raiders team. Carroll will try to win by relying on his running game and defense, a formula that helped take the Seahawks to new heights. The popular criticism of Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin could also apply to Carroll, a former Super Bowl champion whose teams win regularly but haven’t really competed for a title in a long time. But his .599 winning percentage in 14 seasons (147-98-1, including playoffs) is nothing to scoff at. -Henderson
What are you hearing around the league about recruiting?
Carroll’s interview with Vegas went very well, and the Super Bowl-winning coach sold a vision for a team in transition. The feeling around the league is that this was probably the best the Raiders could do after missing out on Ben Johnson, who took over as head coach of the Chicago Bears. Carroll can offset questions about his age with plenty of energy and will also be on a shorter-term contract than most. The belief was that Brady was targeting a defensive coach and has always had a deep respect for Carroll. While Carroll may not be a long-term solution, he provides instant credibility and can serve as a bridge to something bigger for the franchise. — hunter
Can Carroll and the Raiders find a new QB with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft?
It’s no secret that for the second year in a row, the Raiders enter the offseason in need of a quarterback. Twelve quarterbacks were off the board when they picked 13th last April; instead, they recruited Bowers. Whether a franchise QB is available to them at No. 6 this year depends on whether early-picking teams decide to address the position before the draft and how each front office ultimately grades the top passers in this class.
Miami’s Ward is expected to be taken with the top five picks, potentially at No. 1. He is a dynamic dual threat with great arm talent. Could he beat the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns? and New York Giants? It is unlikely. But then there’s Colorado’s Sanders. Some scouts think he’s also a safe top-five pick, while others give him a second-round grade. There is a chance that Sanders, who worked with Brady last offseason, could be available to Las Vegas without the team needing to make a trade. He is super accurate and can make all the throws.
This is where things get complicated: there is still no agreed-upon QB3 in this draft. There is a significant drop after Ward and Sanders. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Texas’ Quinn Ewers or Alabama’s Jalen Milroe are all in play for that spot, but none of them are ranked in my top 40. Dart ranks highest at 48th overall. It’s not recommended to pursue a quarterback at No. 6 if Ward and Sanders are off the board, so waiting on the QB issue until draft day would be risky for the Raiders. – Miller
How would you rate this hire?
b. Carroll may not be a hire with tons of fireworks and joy, but he’s exactly what the Raiders need. They have needed to return to adulthood and the culture to lead their organization: a guy with experience, a track record, a formula for winning. That will help get them out of the gutter, where they have been for the past few seasons, and back to a respectable level of containment.
Even if you think Carroll is washed up and lacks schematic innovation (both of which, I would argue, are false, as he did a lot of different things in his later years in Seattle), this can work. Carroll’s time in Seattle ended because he struggled with an unstable personnel and a declining quarterback. Now, how you will fill out your roster is a big question. You’ve got a deep Rolodex, but do you know any young innovators? Other than that, this is a solid hire. — solak
