On Sunday, December 28, 2025, NFL saw a highly emotional reunion as the New York Giants faced the Las Vegas Raiders. While the game was nicknamed the “Tank Bowl” because both teams were struggling for the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, the focus remained on the bridge built between the Giants‘ third-pick quarterback, Russell Wilson, and the Raiders’ head coach, Pete Carroll.

The Giants secured a 34–10 victory. Even though Wilson did not play, he shared a heartfelt post on Instagram expressing gratitude for his time with the Seattle Seahawks under Carroll.

“God, I’m just Grateful for You! A lot of Memories! New ones, Old ones, and a lot of History. A lot of Winning & a whole lot of Touchdowns! New Friends. Old Friends. Forever Friends. Plus a big Win!” Russell Wilson wrote.

The bond between Wilson and Carroll is rooted in a legendary decade with the Seattle Seahawks. Together, they led the franchise to its most successful era, winning 104 games and four division titles. Their partnership was highlighted by two consecutive Super Bowl appearances. This era of unprecedented success in the Pacific Northwest established them as one of the most iconic coach-and-quarterback duos in modern football history before Wilson was eventually traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Despite the public display of mutual respect on Sunday, the reunion also reignited old controversies. Some haters pointed back to a 2022 report claiming that Russell Wilson had once asked Seahawks ownership to fire both Carroll and General Manager John Schneider. As one of them wrote,

“Lol, people forget he tried to get him fired before he left.”

The comment refers back to an old report, which suggested that Wilson hoped the team would replace them with Sean Payton. These rumors have long been a point of contention for fans who view the end of the Seattle era as a messy and dysfunctional breakup.

However, Russell Wilson and those close to him have consistently fought back against these claims. Wilson has publicly referred to Carroll as a “father figure” and insisted he never made such a request. During the recent social media buzz, Wilson’s mother, Tammy T. Wilson, even stepped in to defend her son, flatly calling the allegations a lie. “That is a LIE!” she replied under the comment.

Additionally, Wilson and his legal representatives have repeatedly dismissed the 2022 report referenced by critics as entirely fabricated, maintaining that despite natural tensions in a long professional relationship, the bond between the player and his former coach remains strong.

Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll get to relive their union for the second time during the Giants vs. Raiders game 

This Sunday’s matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Giants felt less like a standard NFL game and more like a trip down memory lane for Seattle. For the second time since leaving the Seahawks, quarterback Wilson and head coach Carroll found themselves on opposite sidelines. 

While their decade together in Seattle was defined by a massive 66.1% winning rate and a Super Bowl title, this latest reunion highlighted how much has changed for both men in 2025.

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The game itself was a struggle for Carroll’s Raiders, who lost 34-10 to the Giants. This defeat marked the 10th consecutive loss for Las Vegas, leaving Carroll to defend a season that has gone off the rails. Despite signing a multi-year deal to lead the Raiders, the 74-year-old coach is now facing intense pressure that the organization may move on from him after just one year.

On the other side, Russell Wilson’s Giants finally snapped a nine-game losing streak, though the veteran quarterback watched the entire game from the sidelines. Wilson’s role has shifted significantly since his days as an elite starter. He is currently serving as the Giants’ third-string “emergency” quarterback, sitting behind rookie Jaxson Dart and veteran Jameis Winston. 

Wilson is on a one-year contract, and the Giants are clearly committed to developing Dart; his future in New York and the NFL is highly uncertain. For many fans, seeing Wilson in a backup role while Carroll struggles in Las Vegas signals the potential end of an era. With both men facing such cloudy futures, this game likely served as the final “on-field” meeting of their legendary careers. 

While the “reunion” was mostly limited to pregame handshakes and postgame exchanges, it served as a reality check for Seahawks fans. The two icons who once dominated the league together are now fighting to stay relevant in a league that is quickly moving toward a new generation of talent.