Las Vegas Raiders and Pete Carroll Agree to a 3-Year Contract as New Head Coach

Even after Tom Brady, Raiders minority owner, supposedly tried to lure former New England Patriots coach and mentor Bill Belichick away from his job at the University of North Carolina, he found his team’s new coach in another legend and Super Bowl-winning coach, Carroll.

Being touted by experts and fans as one of the best coaches in both college and pro ball in the past twenty years, having won an NCAAF National Title with USC in 2004 and Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 with the Seattle Seahawks, the Raiders are getting a “bonafide stud and a certified G” (IYKYK) in Carroll.

Pete Carroll’s story continues in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/PnrXQET4P7

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 24, 2025

I can already picture LX’s betting odds for next season rising.

Las Vegas Needed a Coach Like Carroll

Understanding the Raiders’ move to go after Carroll doesn’t take much analyzing. This is a team that’s in dire need of cementing some sort of credibility back to its name. We’re talking about a squad that went from being feared by opponents when found in their NFL schedule to an afterthought.

But the man is 73 years old; that automatically makes him the oldest coach in the league. That’s precisely something any hater would jump up to say right away about the Raiders’ new coach.

But what does Pete Carroll’s age have anything to do with the fact that he continues to be one of the brightest minds in the sport?

New #Raiders HC Pete Carroll is 73 years old. You’d never know. pic.twitter.com/ldDnro1exa https://t.co/sXTqZaBN99

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 24, 2025

With a 137-89-1 record coaching the Seahawks, which includes five divisional titles, ten playoff appearances, two trips to the Super Bowl, and a Lombardi Trophy to go along, give me the resumé of a coach better suited for what the Raiders need right now.

There isn’t.

Plus, the sheer level of energy and commitment Carroll brings to his players is precisely what makes him as unique as he is.

Yo head coach can’t do this tho. @Raiders @PeteCarroll #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/9T4dWA6tE7

— Waun & Quan (@Brooksbrosmedia) January 24, 2025

In a division like the AFC West, where the constant battle to topple the perennial NFL picks and predictions favorites Kansas City Chiefs has become almost impossible, there’s a reason why the other two teams besides KC and LV went shopping for title-winning coaches: the Denver Broncos with Sean Payton and the Los Angeles Chargers with Jim Harbaugh.

So why wouldn’t the Raiders do the same?

This has to be the most accomplished collection of coaches in a single division in football history

Andy Reid: 3 Super Bowl titles
Sean Payton: 1 Super Bowl title
Jim Harbaugh: 1 College National title
Pete Carroll: 1 Super Bowl title, 1 College National title https://t.co/ORET2k6sEw

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 24, 2025

The battle out west is about to become a must-watch TV next season.

Could a Wilson/Carroll Reunion Happen in Vegas?

Now that Carroll is set to take over for the Raiders, one of the first things he’ll need to do is find a new QB to lead the offense, and the NFL rumors mill has already started giving out the name of a player who could fit the job just right.

In my first NFL mock draft, I had the Raiders taking a shot with Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, which could still work when thinking about the future.

But, focussing on the right-now scenario, what if Carroll calls on one of his most important players from his tenure with Seattle to see if he wants to run it all back, this time in Vegas?

Yes, Russell Wilson.

𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Russell Wilson could be a name to watch for the #Raiders after hiring Pete Carroll as their head coach, per @jeffphowe

Russell Wilson and Carroll obviously have a long history together in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/sXv3E7GdF3

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 24, 2025

Although Wilson has made it clear he would love to retire with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he’s currently with, there’s no denying that his relationship and past playing for Carroll offers plenty to discuss when considering a potential link-up.

Considering the Raiders brought in Carroll to establish a new culture for the team, one based on stability and continuance of a new program, bringing in Wilson could work wonders.

Carroll drafted Wilson and was a key component in the player’s development into becoming the future Hall of Famer he became. They won a Super Bowl together and were one play away from winning another (they should’ve run the ball!), so why not?

Plus, how fun would it be to watch Wilson go against Payton’s Broncos twice a year? It makes for a perfect “Keeping Up With The AFC West” kind of drama.

The idea of Russell Wilson reuniting with Pete Carroll in Vegas, so he can face Sean Payton twice a year. pic.twitter.com/1xH6BBjEV3

— Jason Shetler (@Jason_Shetler) January 24, 2025

Come on, Raiders, at least think about it, for the “lolz.”