The Las Vegas Raiders have fired coach Pete Carroll after just one season. Under Carroll, the Raiders finished with a 3-14 record—their lowest win total since 2014.
Las Vegas Raiders Owner Mark Davis released the following statement:
“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. 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.”
A Season to Forget
The Raiders made a splash this offseason, trading for quarterback Geno Smith and signing him to a two-year, $75 million contract extension. During Smith’s introductory press conference, Carroll stated that Smith brought them “instant stability at a crucial spot.” Obviously, Pete Carroll had confidence in the 35-year-old quarterback because the two had been together for four seasons in Seattle.
However, the reunion in Las Vegas has been anything but a honeymoon. Smith did not look comfortable with the silver and black, throwing a league-high 17 interceptions. Smith’s 19 passing touchdowns and 3,025 passing yards were the lowest since his first two seasons in the NFL.
Not everything falls on the veteran quarterback. The offense line didn’t do him any favors, allowing a league-worst 64 sacks, and the rushing attack ranked 32nd in the NFL. Midseason, there should have been an evaluation of offensive line coach and run game coordinator, Brennan Carroll—Pete Carroll’s eldest son—but the Raiders did not make any changes.
Instead, after a Week 12 loss to Cleveland, Carroll tried to spark the offense by firing coordinator Chip Kelly. It didn’t work as the offense remained stagnant, averaging just 12.6 points in their final six games.
Overall, the Raiders finished dead last in the NFL for both points and yards per game. Their -191 point differential was the third-worst in franchise history.
With the club having lost 14 of its last 16 games, the front office believed it was best to make a change.
The Raiders will now begin the search for their sixth head coach since relocating the franchise to Las Vegas in 2020.
–Follow Dan Loya on X @DLoya_NFL
