Pete Carroll recently emerged as the top name to watch regarding the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy. He is indeed on track to take over on the sidelines in Vegas. 
Carroll and the Raiders are negotiating an agreement, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. No deal is in place at the moment, but that is the goal on both sides. Provided this hire comes to pass, Vegas will have its new HC-GM combo in place. An agreement has now been reached, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter noting this will be a three-year contract including a team option for a fourth year.
Ben Johnson was seen as the Raiders’ top head coaching target, with a major offer being expected. The quarterback position is certainly a different story in Vegas as opposed to Chicago as things stand, however, and the former Lions OC ultimately chose to take the Bears’ gig. That took the most in-demand coaching candidate off the market and forced the Raiders to pivot.
On Monday, it was reported Carroll had become the frontrunner for the Vegas posting. The former Seahawks Super Bowl winner interviewed with the Bears before they elected to bring in Johnson, but since he also spoke with the Raiders it was clear a market existed for a return to the NFL. The 73-year-old discussed the Cowboys’ vacancy with Jerry Jones yesterday, but instead of making a serious run at that position he will take over a Raiders team which has undergone major changes recently.
Not long after his minority stake in the franchise was officially purchased, Tom Brady became a central figure in Vegas’ head coaching and general manager searches. Antonio Pierce was fired after one full season on the sidelines, and at the time that move was made it appeared general manager Tom Telesco would be safe. Just two days later, though, Telesco was also dismissed after his debut campaign running the front office. With Brady and Jed Hughes (who played a role in Carroll’s Seahawks hire in 2010) leading the way, the Raiders have now filled both vacancies.
Former Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek reached agreement with the Raiders on Wednesday to take over as the team’s new general manager. Now, he and Carroll will look to lead the franchise in a new direction from a culture perspective will overseeing a roster rebuild. The quarterback position is one of many which needs to be addressed in the spring.
Prior to today’s news, the oldest head coaching hire in NFL history came when 66-year-old Bruce Arians took charge of the Buccaneers. His Tampa Bay tenure included a Super Bowl win with Brady under center, and now the latter will look to steer the Raiders back to contention with Carroll on the sidelines. Given his age, it will be interesting to see how deep into this contract Carroll lasts.
In any event, owner Mark Davis’ willingness to allow for a long-term plan to be put in place by the Carroll-Spytek tandem will make for a key storyline. Davis informed Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler they would have three years to oversee a rebuilding effort upon being hired in 2022, but he pulled the plug midway through Year 2 of that setup. Davis was known to favor something other than the ‘Patriot Way’ approach this time around, and that has proven to be the case with the new faces in the front office and on the sidelines.
Carroll coached the Jets in 1994 before taking charge of the Patriots from 1997-99. It was not until 2010 that he got his next NFL head coaching opportunity, but in the intervening years he had a successful tenure at USC which included a national title. His 14-year Seahawks run produced a pair of Super Bowl appearances and the franchise’s only championship.
Carroll stepped aside from Seattle last offseason, although he attempted to reverse course on that move. In the end, the Seahawks moved on by hiring Mike Macdonald as head coach. That left Carroll out of coaching, and in August he expressed contentment with that situation. Things have obviously changed since then, though, and now he will take charge of a Raiders team with considerable ground to make up moving forward.
Each of the other three teams in the AFC West (coached by Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton) qualified for the playoffs in 2024. Expectations will remain high in Kansas City, Los Angeles and Denver in the immediate future, whereas the Raiders face a number of questions at this point. It is now known that Carroll – who of course had considerable sway regarding roster moves in Seattle – will be tasked with adding Vegas to the list of playoff contenders in the division during the latest chapter of his decorated coaching career.
This is the guy TomTom chose?
He’s a proven winner with a SB so why not?
This will be a good hire
In related news chewing gum stocks have risen 50% on the Carrol hire…
I forgot about his habit
Just like Quinn to Washington, sometimes the sexy hire isn’t what you need. This is the best Raider coaching hire in a generation, and he’ll absolutely be on the same level as the other three coaches in the division, I’d argue only Reid has a better coaching track record.
Agreed. Carroll brings toons of experience plus he is energetic and has the trust of his players. Age? A number until not…
Found a sucker. Atta Boy Pete. Retirement Village put off a few years. Thumbs up!
Pete Carroll is a great coach….AFC west coaches, what a pedigree, should be very interesting division
Surprising to hire a guy who’s six years older than the oldest coach in football for a team that’s not close to winning. Definitely a qualified program builder, which they need. Interesting to see how his defensive scheme holds up, given that he has disciples who have evolved with the game (Quinn) and some who haven’t (Bradley). But he can set a culture and teach. What he can do about hiring an offensive staff and bereft quarterback situation is another pair of stories. Maybe they could bring in Carroll’s last OC and make it two straight hires of fired Bears play callers.
It’s a three year deal. It’s no different than what Parcells used to do. He’ll try to turn this around in three years and hand it off to somebody else, leaving the organization in a better place when he’s done. When Parcells went to the Cowboys and Jets, who thought he’d have contenders by the third year, and he always did. He needs a QB. The last time he had a healthy Wilson, Seattle won the division against the Rams and 49ers who were the odds on Super Bowl contenders, not them. So he can coach.
I’m not disputing that he can coach, and I’m intrigued by the Parcells comp, but he’s also a decade older than Parcells was when he took his last job, and Parcells turned around multiple organizations. Not saying Carroll can’t, but I have more questions.
But Parcells just said he wasn’t up for it anymore. Pete has never said that nor looked burned out. His energy level has never been in question. The only reason he stopped winning big in Seattle is because he and his franchise QB had a rift. When he was healthy, he was winning 11 and 12 games with legit odds on Super Bowl contenders in the same division. Give him a QB, and he’ll get this turned around.
He’s still six years older than any other coach in football, and building a program from the ground up is harder than continuing a job. Again, Parcells turned around multiple organizations, while Carroll only did it once, and he started his Seattle tenure backed by three extremely productive draft classes. I’m optimistic about Spytek and I think Carroll can still coach, but it’s not like you can count on the same kind of drafting.
First of all, the Raider roster isn’t as bad as the results. They obviously don’t have a QB as the glaring need that doomed this past year and need some help in their defensive back seven, but there are decent foundational pieces there to build on. A big principle of his defense of having guys up front who can win one on one, he already has two of in Crosby and Wilkins.
I do like their defensive line core, but I think saying they need some help in the back seven is understating things, and their offense needs help everywhere but the tight end room.
Worst roster in football, just hired a mediocre coach at best. No legion of boom on the horizon.
Wilson to the Raiders until Sanders is ready (if they draft Sanders as rumored)
Not a Raiders fan but I really like the hire. Even at his age he will bring tons of energy and much needed culture change. Nice to see him back coaching.
No
Yes
So, Bill Belichick and his 6 rings are too old to coach for every team in the NFL…but Pete Carroll who is OLDER than Bill with 5 less rings is getting interviews AND getting hired?
Somebody make it make sense, please
Bill wants full control.
Pete does not.
Bill rarely talks with energy and enthusiasm.
Pete does
Bill was apparently not looking for full control with Atlanta last year before they went elsewhere due to his age.
I agree, Bill would prefer control all I’m saying it the latest reports we had said it wasn’t a dealbreaker for him anymore so I don’t know
And then has had his mouthpiece contradict everything he lied and said during that process. There was a whole article that came out before he took the UNC job of his associates trashing the Atlanta GM while he oversaw a 4-13 roster in his last stop, so who was he to be judging? No one cares that he won Super Bowls with Tom Brady. That was going on half a decade ago now. Things change. Like could you see Belichick drafting another QB after giving Cousins that FA contract, and then they would have been in the same spot his Patriots were in with Mac Jones. There’s also the fact that his teams are suited for him to coach and no one else. It’s a unique skill, but when he’d’ be done in three years, his team would probably resemble what he handed off to Mayo, as opposed to what Carroll handed off to McDonald.
It wasn’t apparent; it was just a rumor that he wouldn’t want full control of the roster.
Belichick’s age isn’t the problem. He doesn’t want to work with anyone. Doing it that way got him a 4-13 team to end his NFL career.
He wants to be around people closer to his girlfriends age
I’m not a fan of older coaches, but Carroll will know his limits and try to hire around them. I’d be surprised to see Carroll try to call his own plays this time around. He’ll probably work closely with his co-ordinators, coaching the co-ordinators to do the job instead of trying to do too much himself.
That’s not Belichick’s style, who has mostly been an “I’ll do it better myself” type of guy throughout his career. And now Belichick is old and grumpy. Carroll managed to avoid grumpy, although he may be hard of hearing by now. Carroll would just learn to lip-read.
Guy will die with his boots on, on the sidelines.
I wouldn’t hire Bill unless TB12 is coming back.
I don’t hate this – but get this guy a QB.
The team and the city will love Pete as a coach. His passion for the game and winning attitude will spread. Wish him all the best and we miss him in Seattle.
Forward…to the past!
Raiders love them some washed up vets. Tom Flores said no?
Will Russ be cooking in Vegas?
Carroll sent Wilson packing from the Seahawks. Why would he bring him back at the Raiders?
No, but Geno is available
Nah not likely. I’d go cam ward or shedeur sanders and a veteran to side with like Cousins, Darnold, or Tyler Huntley
Pass on the draft route, Darnold is too expensive and Cousins is done. I’d rather they try to get Browning, Brissett or even Fields. All 3 are arguably a push to running with AOC.
Fields is a good one I lowkey think Tomlin wants him though. Also a great spot to thrive and win the job for Fields could also be Jets or Browns.
Also I disagree I think cousins still can play. He has history with Stefanski from their days in Minnesota if browns called him and made him an offer while falcons pay his remaining due money I wouldn’t be surprised. I’d take cousins over Winston right now tbh
3 years lol. In 3 years he won’t remember how to get to the stadium
I think Pete can set the foundation for the next coach but I don’t see him winning anything in that division with that roster.
Getting to .500 in that division would be a coach of the year achievement for the new Raiders coach, whoever he may be.
Great hire. Pete Carroll will return that franchise to respectability.
So sad. What a pathetic organization .
One really really really really bad play call aside, I like Pete Carroll.
Or you could have just typed reallllllllllllllllllllly bad 🙂
If the Hawks had NFL receivers, it’s a Touchdown. Ricardo Lockette was never an NFL receiver.
With 1 timeout remaining, they had to pass on either 2nd or 3rd down.
Head coaching the team where the minority owner was the QB that beat you in the Super Bowl is lowkey interesting haha
Very interesting the contrast in NFC North vs AFC west coaches. Young guns vs sage and proven. It will be fun to watch which group is more successful over time
Pete is a bit of a throwback to Al Davis in that he also isn’t afraid to take on reclamation projects. A lot of veterans will welcome his return as they might get a last opportunity from him that wouldn’t be found elsewhere. Who knows?…even Marshawn Lynch might be asked to come in for a tryout 🙂
Trick Marshawn into believing they’re still in Oakland and you know he’d be on it!
Pete must’ve done something wrong or hates himself.
I’m kind of thankful that the organization went the route of HC with experience over a young OC or DC. These players need stability and discipline, and Carroll’s hire at least gives them a shot at achieving an upward, sustainable trajectory.
perfect landing spot for the oldest QB in the league
Will Carroll bring in Slowik?
Give Pete a great running back and mediocre QB, a little defensive, and the Raiders are back in biz
If they allow him the same latitude he had in Seattle then the Raiders will make it to the big game within 3-4 years.
Just win, baby! Nobody fits that better than Pete. Let the competition begin!