Pete Carroll's tenure as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders is expected to end after just one calamitous season, according to multiple reports.
A Season to Forget in Sin City
The 74-year-old coach is not anticipated to keep his job after overseeing the franchise's worst campaign in 11 years. Under Carroll, the Raiders have slumped to a 2-14 record, losing 14 of their last 15 games and missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
Majority owner Mark Davis and minority owner, NFL legend Tom Brady, are now set to go in a different direction ahead of the 2026 season. The team's dreadful form does, however, have a silver lining: it has put them in pole position for the coveted No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Rebuild and Rift: The Offseason Challenges
The Raiders are already in the midst of a significant overhaul, having fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon earlier in the season. The struggle of quarterback Geno Smith has made finding a new signal-caller a top draft priority, with fans eager to see Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza potentially selected.
Yet, a major offseason dilemma involves star defensive end Maxx Crosby. The 28-year-old was reportedly left furious after being shut down for the team's final two games, a move seen as protecting their draft position. Carroll stated Crosby had a knee injury that 'looks too bad', but Crosby later posted social media footage of himself playing basketball and on a trampoline.
The situation escalated when it was revealed Crosby had walked out of the team's training facility amid a dispute over his injury status, having reportedly been 'fighting' to play in a crucial loss to the New York Giants.
Crosby's Stance on Competing
On Jim Gray's 'Let's Go' podcast this week, Crosby made his philosophy clear. "I feel like there’s core principles that you gotta live by," he said. "And the way you look at it, from my perspective, is you play to win. You play for your teammates, you put everything you have into the game, no matter what it is."
His comments appear to be a pointed critique of the franchise's recent approach, underscoring a rift between a key player and the team's leadership as they head into a pivotal offseason.
If the Raiders lose their regular-season finale to the Kansas City Chiefs, they will secure the top draft pick, offering a cornerstone for the comprehensive rebuild that now seems inevitable under a new head coach.
