The coaching carousel for the Las Vegas Raiders has made its latest, eye-catching turn. The team has reportedly secured former Seattle Seahawks and USC head coach Pete Carroll to steer the ship for at least the next three seasons, sources disclosed to FOX5 and ESPN. Per these reports, the deal that Carroll inked includes an option for a fourth year.
At 73, Carroll's resume includes a storied 14-year tenure with the Seahawks that featured a Super Bowl victory and a near-miss for a second, before he took a hiatus in 2024. His collegiate lore is not overshadowed either, having led the USC Trojans to seven straight Pac-10 championships and two AP national titles, becoming one of only three men to win at both the collegiate and NFL levels. The FOX5 report noted this as one of Carroll's signature achievements.
The Raiders have clearly been in a transitional phase, cycling through several head coaches since their relocation to Las Vegas in 2020, Antonio Pierce being the most recent one let go after a less than stellar 4-13 record in his debut as head coach. Tampa Bay’s assistant general manager John Spytek joined Carroll in the Raiders’ rebuild, being named the team’s new general manager just days ago – replacing Tom Telesco. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both Spytek and Carroll have found favor through their connection with the team’s minority owner, Tom Brady.
For a team that has experienced, just two winning seasons and a mere two playoff berths since losing the Super Bowl in 2003, the hiring of Carroll marks yet another attempt to stabilize and steer the franchise towards its former glory days. When the 2025 season kicks off, Carroll will set a record as the oldest coach in NFL history, a noteworthy sidebar to his already impressive career. The Raiders' expectations will be high, the scrutiny intense, but Carroll’s experience and past success suggest he could be the difference-maker the Raiders have been searching for, not to mention leading them during his historic stint.
.jpg){kind=link}