HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The glory years for the Raiders ended more than two decades ago, and the tradition-rich franchise once known for its swagger as much as its championship pedigree has become a reclamation project.
It's something Pete Carroll, who was introduced along with new general manager John Spytek at a news conference Monday, knows a little about by turning floundering Southern California and the Seattle Seahawks into championship teams.
Now he's trying to do the same thing in Las Vegas.
“In both situations, it just took us a couple years to get going,” Carroll said. “I know that rhythm, and I am expecting that rhythm. I’m anticipating that we’re going to find that rhythm right here, right now, here in Vegas. With the Raiders and this opportunity, I feel like I’ve been there before, and I’m going to bank on that."
With nearly $100 million in salary cap space, according to overthecap.com, Carroll and Spytek have options on how they want to build back a franchise that has made two playoff appearances since making the Super Bowl in the 2002 season.
At or near the top of the priority list is finding a quarterback who can compete in an AFC West with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix.
“We’re going to turn over every stone to find that leader for this team,” Carroll said.
Carroll also is beginning to work on his coaching staff and said he would like to return at least some of the coaches “so we can have the benefit of the insights that they bring and the continuity that they can generate for us.”
Carroll is the team’s 14th head coach since Jon Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay in 2002. He is the fifth coach, including those in an interim role, since the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020.
The Raiders fired coach Antonio Pierce after going 4-13 in his first full season. Pierce was 5-4 as an interim coach in 2023 after replacing Josh McDaniels.
A committee led by Raiders minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady went in search of Pierce's replacement.
“We went through a very rigorous process of interviewing people,” owner Mark Davis said. “There were three or four people we were truly interested in, and when one person made a decision to go to another team, it became clear that Pete was going to be our guy.”
Ben Johnson was believed to be the Raiders' prime option before he agreed to become the Bears coach.
“We didn't think we had Ben Johnson,” Davis said. “We never made an offer to Ben Johnson.”
Carroll found himself at a coaching crossroads after he was fired after going 27-21 from 1997-99 with the New England Patriots.
He found another chance at USC and made the most of it. Carroll took over a program that went 5-7 in 2000 and two seasons later began a seven-year run of double-digit victories that included the 2003 AP national championship and 2004 national title.
When Carroll became Seattle's coach in 2010, the Seahawks were coming off two seasons with nine combined victories. They finished 7-9 in each of Carroll's first two seasons before becoming one of the NFL's top teams that included a Super Bowl title in the 2013 season.
“It took us a few years to get to the very top of the last couple programs I was with,” Carroll said. “We’re starting right now, going for it immediately. We don’t have some time that we’ve got to make it five, six years down the road. That’s not what we’re thinking. We’ve got to start right now to go after it and build this team as quickly as we can.”
At 73, Carroll is the NFL's oldest head coach, but his youthful energy and passion have long been his hallmarks.
Perhaps the only one at the news conference who matched his enthusiasm was former running back Marshawn Lynch, who screamed “Raaiiidddeeerrrsss!” when Carroll said he wanted Allegiant Stadium to be filled with fans of the home team. Opposing fans often make it feel like a neutral or away game for the Raiders.
“Hey, Mark, settle down a little bit,” Carroll said jokingly to Davis.
Carroll looked at defensive end Maxx Crosby at another point and spoke directly to him.
“Maxx, send the message, man. We’re coming after you,” Carroll said. “We’re going to come find you guys and get this thing rolling as soon as possible with the highest of expectations, with a mentality that will drive high performance in a way that, hopefully, everybody is going to hear us and they’re going to know us. I’m really proud to take on that challenge.”
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Mark Anderson, The Associated Press
