Pete Carroll was one of the biggest names available in the coaching carousel this offseason, and the Las Vegas Raiders were lucky enough to get him.
The former Seattle Seahawks head coach and Super Bowl winner was out of football last season, but desired a return to the sidelines. With Carroll’s presence, the Raiders now have an air of immediate legitimacy that they lacked last year. Now, the hope for the Raiders is that Carroll builds a foundation of sustainable long-term success.
As for the reason Carroll ultimately decided to head to Las Vegas, the answer is surprisingly simple.
Carroll said that Tom Brady is the reason he decided to take the Raiders head coaching job.
During Carroll’s media availability at the NFL Combine, he gave direct credit for his hiring to the future Hall of Fame quarterback and current Raiders minority owner.
“Tom Brady,” Carroll responded to the question. “It starts there. When Tom wanted to do this and he wanted to be part of this thing, that changed my outlook on what could be possible. I’ve found out since how consistently … he is a great competitive mentality and spirit. And he passed it right to the rest of the ownership group that has been incredibly jacked and fired up.”
So far this offseason, Brady has gone above and beyond in his role of improving the Raiders.
Prior to bringing Carroll along, Brady was instrumental in the Raiders’ efforts to bring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to Las Vegas, only for him to accept the Chicago Bears job. Brady also used his connections to bring in new general manager John Spytek from Tampa Bay. Even before the hirings, Brady was expected to have a significant role in team operations, and his input was expected to carry serious weight.
What was unexpected, however, was Brady’s willingness to commit to working in unison with the new regime of the Raiders.
“He’s available every day yet he’s got a whole other world he’s working on. So he consults with us and is really tuned in to what’s happening,” Carroll said. “(GM John Spytek) keeps track of him every step of the way. I feel free and comfortable to call him and text him at any time. We’re responding regularly. It’s been great… He’s really clear, his vision of how he would hope to see this go and how he would like to influence it wherever he can. There is no mistaking it at all.”
Brady has certainly earned the respect of Carroll, and the two will now work together in the coming months to bring their vision of the Raiders to life.
