How Raiders' Pete Carroll is Already Pressing the Right Buttons

Under Pete Carroll, the Las Vegas Raiders are in good hands.

Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll talks with cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (36) at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders added plenty of talent to both sides of the ball this offseason. However, Week 1 was their first time seeing all of their new pieces in action in non-exhibition game.

The Rise of a Young Raider

One player who had a solid training camp was defensive back Kyu Blu Kelly, who had a meteoric rise from little-known defensive back to Week 1 starter for the Raiders. Kelly routinely had productive practices in training camp and showed even more potential against the Patriots.

Following the Raiders' win over the New England Patriots, Carroll noted the fact that there was a positive shift in Kelly in training camp.

It was a shift that Carroll and his coaching staff were pleasantly surprised by, as Kelly's emergence helped solidify a position group that was in need of all the talent it could get.

"I don't know. We haven't really nailed that one, what it was, but there was a shift. Coming out of the offseason, I didn't see it coming. I didn't see it because he was kind of bouncing around different spots a little bit, played a little bit of nickel, and all that. But it was about now, probably three weeks ago, that there was some clarity here, that something's happening,” Carroll said.

“And there's rumblings coming on where No. 36 was playing, and so we just gave him more chances. Didn't we start him in the third preseason game? Yeah, that was in response to how he had picked it up to see what he looked like. And he's just done a really, really good job. He's using his overall sense and experience that he has in just ball sense."

“And I say that because it's an aspect of us as a growing defense that we really kind of out-leverage the offense. And you make good decisions when the ball is breaking and when the ball goes away from you, how you pursue, and all of that. And that containment aspect is what gives you a chance to minimize big plays, and he has a really good sense for that. And so that kind of jumped up in my observations, and Joey [Joe Woods] thought the same thing. So we've gone with it, and maybe he'll be back competing again this week," Carroll said.

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