Seahawks legend Pete Carroll was not Raiders first choice for new head coach

Pete Carroll's breakup with the Seattle Seahawks in January of 2024 was messy. So messy, in fact, that he ended up sitting out the entire 2024 season.

He's back in the NFL now, though, joining the Las Vegas Raiders in back in January. However, it seems that wasn't always in the cards for Las Vegas.

According to Mike Silver of The Athletic, the Raiders' first choice for their head coaching job was then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, which would make sense considering they hired Buccaneers executive John Spytek to be their new general manager. However, they never even interviewed Coen, and eventually pivoted to Carroll.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks to members of the media during the second mandatory minicamp at Miller Electric Center Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Yet another reset just might pay off in a big way, starting near the top, where Tom Brady lured highly regarded Tampa Bay talent evaluator John Spytek to the desert to be general manager," Silver wrote. "The Raiders wanted Liam Coen to be their head coach, but wound up with Pete Carroll, who — given the state of the franchise — is probably better suited for the job anyway."

Coen eventually ended up becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars after a messy departure from Tampa Bay, giving the 39-year-old his first head coaching opportunity.

As Silver noted, though, Carroll is likely more of what the Raiders needed at this moment.

"These two figures [Carroll and Spytek] bring leadership and credibility. They found an answer at quarterback, trading for Geno Smith to solve the long-running need for stability at this position, and then landed a potential difference-maker in rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders aren’t going to jump all the way to the top of the AFC West standings. They may not leapfrog either of their steadily improving division rivals (the Broncos and Chargers), but the Raiders seemingly are looking at their most realistic shot at improving in a long time."

The Raiders finished last in the AFC West at 5-12 in 2024, and the hope is that Carroll can at least help them get back to respectability.

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