How Raiders HC Pete Carroll's Influence Spreads Beyond the Field

Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll is one of the most influential head coaches in the National Football League.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After years of instability, the Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll as their head coach, in part because of the many years of experience he has coaching at the highest level of college and professional football, respectively.

Carroll's Wide-Ranging Impact

Before practicing this week, Carroll explained how the process of him teaching at the University of Southern California, the school he had a legendary run with in the early 2000s. Carroll found a way to stay active even while he was away from football, keeping him sharp during his downtime.

"Yeah, well, the class started about two weeks before this happened, so I really took them through the whole process of it. I was teaching them kind of what I was going through, so that they would have the opportunity to kind of follow the experience as we tried to weave it into the class as well. The philosophy that was in the class and the philosophy that was projected here for this job and looking ahead to coaching a football team was the same,” Carroll said.

"So it worked out great. I had time in my life with those kids, and will never forget all that happened during that class because it wasn't just a regular check into the classroom and check out. There was a lot of heartfelt emotion and focus and challenges to change a life's perspectives and things like that that were really, really rewarding." 

Carroll explained how some of the aspects of teaching helped him prepare to jump back into coaching on the professional level. He also believes that after their tim together this spring, the students he taught are indirectly a part of this season's Raiders team.

"So what did that do? In preparation for that class, it was the best preparation I've ever had for having started a job, and because I was going to give them everything I had in that class, and it just led right in. Two weeks later, I'm interviewing for the job here. So there's a real connection, and I know that the students that were in the class, most of those were graduating seniors, they share in this experience as we move forward, and I know they're watching," Carroll said.

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