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Head coach Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders attends a news conference on April 7, 2025 in Henderson, Nevada.
The NFL schedule was released Wednesday, so it’s no surprise Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll broke some schedule-related news.
The first-year Raiders coach unveiled that his first game will be against his longtime team, since Las Vegas will take on the Seattle Seahawks in the first preseason game in August.
“What a coincidence, huh? How about the opening game of the preseason,” Carroll said on a radio hit with the “Brock and Salk” show on ESPN Radio 710. “Is that out yet? Well, wait ’til you see.”
Carroll coached the Seahawks for 14 seasons from 2010-23, including back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and the franchise’s lone World championship in Super Bowl XLVIII.
He was let go by the Seahawks but rejoined the ranks of NFL head coach this past offseason when he took over for Antonio Pierce as Raiders head coach.
Renewing Rivalry
The Raiders and Seahawks are former AFC West rivals, but they have not played in the preseason since 2021 and haven’t squared off in the regular season since 2022.
Still, with Carroll at the helm in Vegas, expect more preseason affairs between the interconference West division clubs. Though, Carroll also informed the public they would not have joint practices — unlike many teams do leading up to their preseason games.
“[The Seahawks] are for [joint practices] now because I’m not there,” Carroll joked. “We’re not going to do that.”
Even though he has the energy of a teenager still, at 73 years old, Carroll is the oldest coach in the NFL. Plus, given the Mark Davis’ penchant for rotating through coaches — Carroll is the organization’s 14th coach since 2001 — who knows how long the Carroll era will last in Sin City.
But Carroll disputed the notion he is tired or will get tired of coaching any time soon.
“It has nothing to do with how old you are,” Carroll said. “I can’t equate age to it at all. If I’m asking these guys to bring [energy], I’ve got to bring it too.”
Other Nuggets
Carroll gave some insights into his interviewing process with Davis.
“It was pretty easy,” Carroll said. “How could they stump the band on this one? I have a real strong feeling on how hard it is to be a head coach. The challenges of the job and the rigors you face aren’t ones you practice until you do it. That’s why it’s so hard for young coaches to make it.
“There’s a lot that goes into this job, and I’m always challenged, but I’m not going to get stumped by anything that comes our way. We’ve just got to do a great job of teaching and creating the juice to do this at a high level.”
He also shared some insights into why he is connected with quarterback Geno Smith. Smith will be Carroll’s starting quarterback again after the Raiders traded for him then he signed a two-year, $75 million contract with the Raiders last month.
“I was trying to get that going since I got here,” Carroll said of extracting Smith from Seattle. “Geno has killed it here. He has been such a factor. The leadership he brings and his mentality. He looks great throwing the football. It’s been a fantastic asset to turning this thing over.
“I love the guy. … Geno was a backup for all those years … What he demonstrated to me was this remarkable connection and spirit to being ready, knowing that the very next play he could be in the game. His resolve over that was so exceptional that when he got his turn, I was thrilled for him.”
