Raiders rumors: Pete Carroll’s hot seat status gets update as season winds down

When the Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll to be their new head coach, fans were excited. Carroll’s pedigree was undeniable, molding the Seattle Seahawks into a dominant force in the 2010s. Even in his last season with the Seahawks, Carroll did an admirable job. His hiring, along with the moves they made in the offseason, gave fans hope that this was the start of a new era.

Instead, the Carroll era was just another chapter in the Raiders’ history of futility. Through 17 weeks, the Raiders have just two wins to their name. Instead of fighting for a playoff spot, they’re fighting for the top draft pick in 2026. Along the way, Carroll’s coaching chops has been questioned.

There are growing chatters that despite coaching only one season, the Raiders are moving on from Carroll. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero’s latest report seems to confirm that, saying that it would be a surprise if the head coach was still with the team next season.

“Owner Mark Davis has the final call,” Rapoport and Pelissero wrote. “He has not communicated any decision and often takes a day or two after the season before making changes. But after a monumentally disappointing season — one in which the Raiders have fired two coordinators, lost 14 of their last 15 games and worn out the patience of team leader Maxx Crosby — it’s hard to imagine Davis staying status quo. So while Carroll, 74, has been fighting for another year, the feeling within the league and within the building is Davis will go in another direction.”

While some of the blame for the team falls on quarterback Geno Smith’s fall-off, there’s also plenty to be said about Carroll. His decisions off the field have been criticized: hiring offensive coordinator Chip Kelly worked out horribly for the team, leading to the latter’s firing. His decision to hire his son Brennan as the offensive line coach has also been scrutinized amidst the line’s struggles this season.

The Raiders will play their final game of the season on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. A loss to their division rivals will grant them the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft: a bittersweet consolation prize for a season that never really got off the ground.

The post Raiders rumors: Pete Carroll’s hot seat status gets update as season winds down appeared first on ClutchPoints.