One and done: Coach Pete Carroll fired by Raiders
- - One and done: Coach Pete Carroll fired by Raiders
Field Level MediaJanuary 6, 2026 at 1:11 AM
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Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
Super Bowl winner Pete Carroll is out after just one 3-14 season as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Owner Mark Davis made the announcement on Monday. The Raiders will be looking for their sixth head coach since the start of the 2021 season, and part-owner Tom Brady will play a role in the decision, Davis said.
"The Las Vegas Raiders have relieved Pete Carroll of his duties as head coach. We appreciate and wish him and his family all the best," Davis said in a statement. "Moving forward, General Manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with Tom Brady, including the search for the club's next head coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization's long-term vision and goals."
The Raiders thought they found their culture changer with Carroll when they signed him to a three-year contract in January to replace Antonio Pierce. But despite Carroll's credentials, he was unable to spark the Raiders, who had the NFL's worst offense.
Carroll brought in veteran coach Chip Kelly to run the offense and reunited with Geno Smith, his quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, but the pairing failed. The Raiders were last in the NFL in total yards (4,168), rushing yards (1,317) and average points per game (14.2). Their points differential was minus-191.
Kelly was fired after the Raiders' 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.
Carroll, 74, won a Super Bowl during his 14-year tenure with Seattle and has the most wins of any Seahawks coach (137). He also set the record for most playoff appearances (10) and wins (10) in franchise history. Carroll served as an adviser in 2024 after he and team officials agreed the time was right for a coaching change following the 2023 campaign.
Carroll also guided the New York Jets (1994) and New England Patriots (1997-99) and had a 170-120-1 record as an NFL head coach before his stint in Las Vegas.
He excelled in the college ranks, winning two national championships at Southern California during his nine-year tenure and finishing with a 97-19 record. Carroll is one of only three coaches -- Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer and the others -- to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship.
The Raiders will have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in April. In desperate need of a franchise quarterback, they are expected to take a long look at Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza of Indiana.
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
