Raiders' Pete Carroll Shares Honest Take on Broncos' Sean Payton

On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders will travel to Denver to take on the 7-2 Broncos in week ten NFL action. For Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, this will be the first time he's taken on Payton with either man being a head coach in the AFC.

Despite the new conference, their coaching careers are forever tied from their time with the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints respectively. It was against Payton's Saints that former Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch pulled off his infamous "Beast Quake" playoff touchdown run in Carroll's unexpected playoff triumph and in Carroll's Super Bowl winning season, his Seahawks defeated Payton's Saints in the divisional round.

On Monday, Carroll spoke on Payton.

Carroll on Sean Payton

"He's a really, really good football coach," stated Carroll. "I don't know where he considers his start, but all the way back to Parcells is where I know he was influenced a great deal. He's always been a really well schooled group that he coaches. They've always had a good attitude about running the football, being physical, and they're a downhill running team, and don't mind working the perimeter, all of that."

"You think of all the years of Drew Brees, you think of him as a passing guy, but they weren't when you played against them. They always had a real good conscience about running the football. So, he's got a really good mix, and as we've seen for years, utilize his personnel in unique ways that fits their style and their makeup."

"And so, there's nothing about his game that isn't on point. It's smart, it's aggressive, they're consistent, they take care of the football, they've been doing that for a long time. That's what's made him consistently successful, I think."

Nov 2, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Raiders have to win on Thursday if they have any dreams of the playoffs. The good news is that despite a 2-6 record, if the Raiders win against the Broncos, they'll have 11 days before their next game against the Cowboys and with a stretch that sees the Raiders play multiple division games as well as the Giants and Browns (who are both under .500), if Carroll is to pull any magic out of the 2025 season, it has to start this week.

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