Reports: Las Vegas Raiders hire Pete Carroll as new head coach

The Las Vegas Raiders have reportedly named Pete Carroll as their next head coach, according to multiple media outlets on Friday.

ESPN reports that Carroll has signed a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year. NFL Network added that other coaching candidates have been informed of Carroll’s selection as the Raiders' head coach.

Carroll’s move to the AFC West reignites a fierce rivalry with Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. The two previously clashed during Harbaugh’s tenure with the San Francisco 49ers and Carroll’s time leading the Seattle Seahawks.

At 73, Carroll brings an impressive resume to Las Vegas. During his 14 seasons with Seattle, he led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl championship, amassed 137 wins (a franchise record), and secured 10 playoff appearances and victories—both franchise bests. After stepping down as head coach in 2023, Carroll served as an adviser for the Seahawks in 2024.

Carroll’s NFL coaching experience includes stints with the New York Jets (1994) and New England Patriots (1997-99), giving him a 170-120-1 career record as an NFL head coach. In college football, Carroll’s dominance was undeniable, guiding the USC Trojans to two national championships over nine seasons and achieving a 97-19 record. Notably, he is one of only three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship.

The Raiders’ coaching decision follows the firing of Antonio Pierce on January 7, just days after the team ended a disappointing 4-13 season. Pierce, who initially stepped into the role on an interim basis following Josh McDaniels’ midseason dismissal in 2023, concluded his tenure with a 9-17 record over 1 ½ seasons.

Carroll joins a competitive lineup of championship-winning coaches in the AFC West. Harbaugh claimed a college national title with Michigan, Andy Reid has delivered three Super Bowl wins for the Kansas City Chiefs and is in pursuit of a fourth, while Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton famously won the Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2009.

With Carroll at the helm, the Raiders aim to restore their legacy and compete in one of the NFL's toughest divisions.

SportsLigue