Pete Carroll was introduced as the Las Vegas Raiders’ new head coach on Monday, along with new general manager John Spytek. And the new regime made it quite clear that everyone in the locker room was on notice as they try to change the culture and establish a winning attitude.
“It all starts with competition,” Carroll said, repeating that theme throughout the press conference. “You’re either competing or you’re not.”
“If there’s one thing I want them to understand,” he added, “it’s that to be a great team, you have to be a great teammate.”
Asked why he wanted to return to coaching at 73 years old, Carroll said he wasn’t chasing any accomplishments. He’s already won a Super Bowl championship with the Seahawks and a college national title at USC.
During his year away from the sideline, an opportunity he said was “incredibly valuable,” Carroll wants to apply what he learned from watching JV football, his grandson play quarterback on the varsity and his son Brennan, who’s the offensive coordinator at Washington, while following the Big Ten.
He also watched former assistants Dan Quinn, head coach for the Washington Commanders, and Dave Canales, the Carolina Panthers’ head coach, during the past season.
“Learning… You have to stay curious and make sure that you’re always on the next opportunity to be a little bit better,” he said. “I had an incredible year… It’s been a year full of just input.”
Carroll also reminded the gathered press that the last time he took a year off from football, after being fired as the New England Patriots’ head coach, was “extraordinarily life-changing.” He took the USC job and began a legendary run that resulted in the aforementioned national championship, seven Pac-12 titles and a 97-19 record.
In addition to competition, Carroll and Spytek emphasized that finding leadership on the roster was important, even more so than roster construction.
“We’re going to turn over every stone to find that leader,” Spytek said. “Our character will be our fate.”
The hope is that at least one of those leaders will be a quarterback that the team can build around. The Raiders have the No. 6 selection in April’s NFL Draft, though neither Spytek nor Carroll indicated if that’s where they would pursue a new QB.
The new coach and GM did not elaborate on whether or not minority owner Tom Brady, who reportedly has a 5% stake in the franchise, would take an active role in choosing a quarterback or determining the roster. But the team will “lean” on him, according to Carroll and Brady will be a part of establishing a new culture.
“He has been integrally involved. He’s been an exciting part of it,” Carroll said. “This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise. He’s been involved and will continue to be involved.”
One enthusiastic cheerleader among the audience for Carroll’s presser was Marshawn Lynch, who played for the coach during his seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and also spent two years for the Raiders.
Lynch yelled “RAIDERS!” during Carroll’s introductory remarks, perhaps demonstrating the sort of vociferous fandom that the coach said he wanted in Allegiant Stadium. Carroll joked that it was team owner Mark Davis yelling.
Carroll hopes to find 53 more like Lynch, in addition to 65,000 of him to fill the stands, as he tries to lift the Raiders from 20-plus years of mediocrity.
