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Las Vegas Raiders' Pete Carroll Establishes Team Identity At Introductory Press Conference

Former USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll was formally announced as the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. The introductory press conference was full of the signature Carroll enthusiasm and a surprise appearance from NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.

Kyron Samuels

Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Las Vegas Raiders officially introduced Pete Carroll as their coach on Monday. The opening press conference of the Carroll era was one, as expected, bustling with energy and enthusiasm. It was clear as day that Carroll had long been in the seat of the head man in charge, and everyone else’s disposition supported that notion.

With former Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, right or wrong, there was always the assumption of the unknown in a mostly negative manner. With Carroll, you know what to expect, and results have always followed.

Carroll’s presence has already brought back former players who once played for the former USC Trojans coach in the NFL to the building. All-Pro running back and former Raiders player Marshawn Lynch crashed Carroll’s session with a “RAIDERS” chant mid-exchange with a reporter. It wasn’t until after the press conference that Carroll learned it was his former workhorse back that let out the scream that made viral shockwaves, but the interaction was wholesome and lends to the fact that his players love him. 

"Competing, to me, is defined by striving for excellence," Carroll told Raiders team reporters. "It's not beating somebody and rubbing their nose in the dirt, that's not it. It's about striving in everything that you're doing. You're trying to be the best you can possibly be and that's the mentality that drives this program. Competition is the essential theme in our program. Our guys will hear it and they'll know where we're coming from about that. . . . You're either competing, or you're not. That's really the mentality we're bringing."

From day one, the Raiders players and organization know their new standard. The structure and detail that were presumably lacking from the previous administrations no longer linger. Carroll's track record speaks for itself, and until proven otherwise, it’s a more prudent bet to say that the Raiders will be closer to a winning team than a losing one. Assembling a viable coaching staff and, at minimum, a serviceable roster has never been an issue for Carroll.

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"The extraordinary opportunity to see things uniquely when you're not coaching ball, you don't get that observation opportunity. You just can't because you're so immersed in what you're doing. It was extremely valuable so I can't wait for all the things that I see that I want to do differently that what we've done in the past and I think there's improvements. . . . It's been an amazing journey to get to this moment right here, and I'm really fired up about taking advantage of that here." Carroll continued. 

It’s interesting to hear a 73-year-old Super Bowl-winning coach have such a renewed perspective after one year out of the game, but it is Pete Carroll we’re talking about here. He’s one of the few, if not the only coach, where his age doesn’t seem as big of a conversation piece as it should be. Rightfully so, he’s shown no signs that he’s untenable nor that he wouldn’t adapt to modern football. 

"We're going to come find you guys and get this thing rolling as soon as possible, with the highest of expectations, with a mentality that will drive high performance in a way that hopefully everybody is going to hear us and they're going to know us. I'm really proud to take on that challenge," Carroll said as he wrapped. 

The direction is clear, the leadership is synchronized, and the cultural norms have been firmly planted. This is a Pete Carroll team and Pete Carroll teams more often than not produce results. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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