Well, it happened, folks. With Pete Carroll officially out as Las Vegas Raiders head coach, it appears that a new power structure is taking hold in Sin City.
The 2025 season will be remembered as a disaster for Raiders fans, with the team facing issues from the start. Prior to Carroll’s announcement as coach, expectations were that Tom Brady would use his influence to bring in Ben Johnson, but that did not happen. Instead, plan B led to Carroll, and things never aligned from there.
At least we know who runs the Raiders now…
The vision never matched Carroll’s words or general manager John Spytek’s actions. Carroll talked about being competitive and winning, but did his choices align? With so many holes, why draft a running back in the first round instead of an offensive tackle? After taking Ashton Jeanty, the offensive line remained neglected. Pursuing Geno Smith with a high salary was another miscalculation. If deficiencies remain unaddressed, why not let Aidan O’Connell lead and save on Smith’s contract?
Again, much of this is hindsight, so we get it. At the same time, what exactly has Brady’s role been with the Raiders? No one seems to be able to answer that question. Moving forward, there’s definitely more clarity. It appears Brady and Spytek will be leading the head coaching search out in Henderson. So, at least we know Brady’s imprint on this organization will start to be felt this offseason.
Are we going to see a roster finally be shaped in accordance with everyone’s wishes? Carroll, at times, outright refused to play Spytek’s rookies in favor of mediocre veterans. All with the excuse he was “trying to win.” When in reality, it does appear Spytek understood this team wasn’t competitive yet; rather, they were building for the future. Either way, Carroll is out, and Spytek, for all intents and purposes, is the boss.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images