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 deal with a fourth-year team option, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Carroll, who turns 74 on Sept. 15, is one of three head coaches to have led a team to both a national championship in college (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 upon the passing of his father Al Davis in 2011 — Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Gruden, Bisaccia, McDaniels and Pierce.
The winningest coach in Seahawks history, Carroll takes over a team in the midst of a rebuild. He has had success at USC and in 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 dishes on what he’s hearing about the hire, and draft analyst Matt Miller spins it forward to the draft. Finally, analyst Ben Solak grades the hire.
Why was Pete Carroll the hire?
Having run through four head coaches since 2021, the Raiders need stability. Carroll will provide it. Yes, he will be 74 this year, but it’s a young 74 and his youthful exuberance and positive attitude not only lit up the Raiders facility when he interviewed in person, per team sources, but were also major selling points for him getting the gig.
Carroll’s veteran presence also dovetails well with first-time general manager John Spytek. Carroll was the most accomplished 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 known commodity, something the Raiders have been missing at head coach since Gruden resigned. Or did you 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 get in the postseason right away, but Carroll is expected to provide enough experience to make them respectable. — Gutierrez
How much involvement/influence was there from Tom Brady?
As much as can be expected from a minority owner who owns only about 10% of a team but has a major platform. Here’s a theory — Brady may have actually been more involved in the hiring of Spytek, his former one-time college teammate at Michigan and former front-office friend with the Buccaneers, as Raiders GM. The conspiracy theory goes that if Brady got his guy at GM, he would not be as involved in the selection of a coach. Brady is a major player in decision-making for the Raiders now, but the final decision will always come down to owner Mark Davis. — Gutierrez
What is the most pressing issue facing Carroll?
Who’s the quarterback and when does Russell Wilson show up in Las Vegas and start doing high-knees on the charter flight? I kid. Kinda. Because while Aidan O’Connell has shown he can be serviceable, the Raiders need an upgrade in an AFC West division that now has 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 being in position to select the likes of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. Plus, with Carroll being a defensive-minded coach, his pick at 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 with Spytek to decide upon the gaggle 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 to cornerback Nate Hobbs to safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps. But the Raiders do have more than $108 million in salary cap space. — Gutierrez
What type of coach is Las Vegas getting in 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 mandated that general manager John Schneider find someone who would maintain it. Carroll brings the same upbeat energy every day, win or lose — a consistency that his players appreciated. They also loved how much he takes care of veterans and makes things fun, a big reason why he’s considered the ultimate players’ coach, and why the Seahawks went from an NFL outpost to somewhere players wanted to be during his tenure; some Seahawks even left under acrimonious circumstances then returned after seeing that the grass wasn’t greener elsewhere.
Schneider often said one of Carroll’s biggest strengths is his ability to instill confidence, something that will be of use for a young, rebuilding Raiders team. Carroll will try to win by leaning on his run 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 regularly win but haven’t truly competed for a title in a while. But his .599 winning percentage over 14 seasons (147-98-1, including playoffs) is nothing to scoff at. — Henderson
What are you hearing around the league on the hire?
Carroll’s interview with Vegas went very well, with the Super Bowl-winning coach selling a vision for a team in transition. The feeling league-wide is this was probably the best the Raiders could do after missing out on Ben Johnson, who took the head coaching job for the Chicago Bears. Carroll can offset questions about his age with high energy, and will also have a shorter-term contract than most. The belief was that Brady was targeting a defensive coach, and he’s always had deep respect for Carroll. While Carroll might not be a long-term solution, he provides instant credibility and can serve as a bridge to something greater for the franchise. — Fowler
Will Carroll and the Raiders be able to find a new QB with pick No. 6 in the 2025 draft?
It’s no secret that for the second year in a row, the Raiders enter the offseason with a need at quarterback. Twelve passers were off the board by the time they were picking at No. 13 last April; they instead drafted Bowers. Whether a franchise QB will be available to them at No. 6 this year depends on if teams picking early 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 within the first five picks, potentially at No. 1. He’s a dynamic dual-threat with great arm talent. Could he slip past the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants? It’s unlikely. But then there’s Colorado’s Sanders. Some scouts think he’s also a surefire top-five pick, while others give him a second-round grade. There is a possibility that Sanders — who worked with Brady last offseason — could be available for Las Vegas without the team needing to trade up. He’s super accurate and can make all the throws.
Here’s where it gets tricky: There isn’t a consensus QB3 in this draft yet. There is a significant dropoff 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 are ranked inside my top 40. Dart comes in the highest at No. 48 overall. Reaching for a quarterback at No. 6 if Ward and Sanders are both off the board isn’t recommended, so waiting on the QB issue until draft day would be risky for the Raiders. — Miller
How would you grade this hire?
B. Carroll might 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 culture to lead their organization — a guy with experience, a track record, a formula for winning. That will help yank them up out of the gutter, where they’ve been for the last few seasons, and back to some respectable level of contention.
Even if you think Carroll is washed and lacks schematic innovation — both of which I would argue are untrue, as he did plenty things differently in his last few years in Seattle — this can work. Carroll’s time in Seattle ended because he struggled with shaky personnel and a declining quarterback. Now, how he fills out his staff is a big question. He has a deep Rolodex, but does he know any young innovators? Other than that, this is a solid hire. — Solak