Pete Carroll is back in the NFL! The Super Bowl-winning head coach has landed the job of Las Vegas Raiders head coach.
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NFL insider Ian Rapoport broke the news on the Jan. 24 episode of "Good Morning Football." He said that negotiations are ongoing but that the Raiders have informed other candidates that they did not get the job.
"The Raiders have now agreed to terms with Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll to be their new head coach," Rapoport said.
"The former Seahawks coach, legendary Seahawks coach, 73 years old, still wants to get into coaching. Still as young as you could possibly be to be a 73-year-old. (Carroll) has been lurking for some time as a top candidate for the Raiders."
Carroll may have served as head coach of the New York Jets (1994) and New England Patriots (1997-99), but he delivered his best seasons while leading the Seattle Seahawks.
He took over the NFC West team in 2010 and led it to a playoff appearance. The 7-9 Seahawks upset the Saints in the Beast Quake game to reach the divisional round. His first season ended with a divisional-round loss to the Bears.
Carroll remained as head coach of the Seahawks through the 2023 season. He posted an overall record of 137-89-1 while only posting three seasons with a losing record. The team went 7-9 in 2010 and '11. It went 7-10 in 2021.
The best seasons were 2013 and '14. The Seahawks went 13-3 and 12-4 while reaching the Super Bowl twice. They delivered a dominant win over the Broncos in Super Bowl 48 and then lost to the Patriots on a goal-line interception in Super Bowl 49.
Carroll spent the 2024 season as an advisor for the Seahawks last season but will now return to the sidelines on what ESPN's Adam Schefter reported is a three-year deal with a fourth-year option. He will have the tall task of rebuilding the Raiders into a contender.
The AFC West team has some big playmakers on the roster, such as Maxx Crosby. It also has some major questions. Most notable among them is under center. The Raiders haven't had a consistent presence at quarterback since Derek Carr in 2022.
Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Desmond Ridder have all started games for the Silver and Black in the last two seasons while failing to lead the team to sustained success. Carroll will have to quickly find a capable full-season starter to give the Raiders a better shot at contending with the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos.
However, addressing the quarterback situation is only one piece of the puzzle. Carroll and new Raiders GM John Spytek will have to completely revamp the roster and then the veteran coach will have to rebuild the culture in Henderson, Nevada.
