With every poor performance, talk of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll being done with the team gets louder and louder across the country.
In fact, it seems the common assumption is that Carroll won’t be back in 2026, with the team sitting at 2-12 and not being competitive on a weekly basis.
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Carroll’s future was the subject of his Monday press conference, where he spoke extensively about his future for the first time. Carroll obviously wants to return, although that certainly wasn’t his decision.
When asked the day after the Raiders’ 31-0 loss to Philadelphia if he felt like coaching the final three games of the season, he said, “I don’t think so at all. I’m way beyond that.”
Carroll, who at 74 is the oldest head coach in NFL history, was asked if he would be willing to rebuild with the team. He replied: “It seems like that’s what’s necessary.”
Carroll, who has two years left on his contract, said multiple times this offseason that this would not be a rebuild and that he hoped to win big soon.
Now, reality has set in for the coach.
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“As much as I was being Pollyanna, I thought we were going to come here, have a big impact on this club and find success that we would be proud of. Now, that’s not the case… I feel like I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
While Carroll is clearly exhausted this season, it’s also clear he thinks he should be back next season. Remember, Antonio Pierce didn’t think he was going to do this, and he did it last year until he was fired. So Carroll’s approach isn’t surprising.