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With the Las Vegas Raiders' schedule released for the upcoming season, fans anticipate the first year under new head coach Pete Carroll, after spending an immense amount of time with the Seattle Seahawks. While the Raiders are always looking for additions to the team to make a splash this season, Carroll looks bad on his exit from the Seahawks, and how that went down.
Carroll was on the podcast titled “Brock & Salk,” where he spoke about what led to him leaving Seattle in 2023 after being the head coach since 2010. He would express how he always had the final say with the team. Still, in regards to his departure, it was general manager John Schneider who had made the decision, which Carroll supported.
“It came to me that there was a time that we probably were about to face one of the bigger changes, shifts, in the time of the program, and I had been dedicated, as John had been dedicated too, John Schneider, to doing this thing in great fashion together,” Carroll said. “We had done that, I thought, and it was John’s turn, it was his turn to take over.”
“I had the lead voice and all of that all through that time, and I was hoping that John could become the general manager of the club and run it,” Carroll continued. “And if we could do that and figure a way to get out of that, we did. [General manager] Jody [Allen] was great about it, and so we just kind of agreed upon it that if we could work it out, I would support the thought. That’s kind of how it happened, so it’s a little bit different than maybe how people perceived it, but John got his chance.”
Raiders' Pete Carroll on leaving the Seahawks
As Carroll looks to lead the Raiders back to the promised land, he does bring legendary experience with him, coming from the Seahawks, where he went to two Super Bowls and won one. Still, he wishes the best for his previous stop.
“There were a lot of big changes that were gonna happen and that were gonna have to come,” Carroll said. “And I thought, you know, we might not agree on all of those changes, because I was gonna hang with some guys more than maybe he would at the time. And the changes they made have obviously turned out great. They’ve got a good coach and a good staff, and they’re rolling. So more power to ’em.”
One aspect Carroll emphasizes is the relationship between a general manager and head coach, which is what he had in Seattle and now has with Las Vegas' John Spytek.
“The relationship between the head coach and the general manager in the NFL is more important than any other aspect, any other factor at all,” Carroll said. “I treat that position with great respect, and I always did that with John, John did that with me.”
The Raiders look to improve after last season, where they finished 4-13, which put them last in the AFC West. The team opens this season against the New England Patriots on Sept. 7.
