The Las Vegas Raiders are embarking on a new chapter under the leadership of Pete Carroll, who has returned to the NFL at age 73 to serve as their head coach.
Carroll, who spent 14 largely-successful seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, faces a major challenge in developing a franchise quarterback for his new team.
Assisting him in this endeavor is Raiders minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Carroll, who last coached in the NFL in 2021, was formally introduced as the Raiders’ head coach during a press conference on Monday.
Reflecting on the importance of finding and developing a strong quarterback, he made clear that this would be the centerpiece of his vision for the team.
“Our mission is to build this football team up around the quarterback position,” Carroll said.
In his remarks, Carroll underscored the critical role Brady will play in this process, describing the legendary quarterback as a unique resource.
“We happen to have the greatest of all time to help us and to see clearly, and we’re going to lean on Tom as much as we possibly can for his insights,” Carroll added. “Because nobody has the insights that he has. He’s that unique.”
Though Brady was not present at the press conference – he was busy on FOX duty – his influence on the Raiders is already apparent.
Carroll acknowledged that Brady played a significant role in his hiring and said he looks forward to collaborating with him.
Carroll called the chance to work with Brady a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Carroll brings a proven track record of success with quarterbacks, having coached Russell Wilson for a decade in Seattle.
Under Carroll’s guidance, Wilson led the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one (and nearly both – just ask Brady.)
The veteran coach expressed optimism about finding similar success in Las Vegas, emphasizing the need to build a strong team to support the quarterback position.
“There’s a way to embrace the challenge that the quarterback has from the rest of the football team as well,” he said.
“We need to support our guy, and we need to do what we can to make that work. It’s really about making a great football team around the quarterback position.”
Carroll’s hiring also marks a symbolic connection to his past.
Ten years after his Seahawks lost to Brady’s New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, the two football legends are now working together to reshape the Raiders’ future.
For Carroll, the opportunity to collaborate with Brady represents more than just a chance to tap into the insights of one of football’s greatest minds – it’s an unprecedented partnership.
“He is one of the great competitors to have ever lived, and for me, that’s a chance to understand more deeply what that’s all about and where that comes from,” Carroll said.
“This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise. … He will continue to be involved, and we’re going to lean on him like crazy.”
With Carroll at the helm and Brady providing guidance, the Raiders aim to rebuild around a new quarterback and return to prominence in the ultra-competitive AFC West.
Having said all of this, just how concerned should the NFL world be that Brady is a (very) active owner in the league, while still being a lead analyst who is supposed to be unbiased above all???
