Don’t bother Peter Carroll with all the age talks… If you thought the 73-year-old was easing into his Raiders tenure with a nice cup of tea and a rebuilding plan, think again. “Not worrying about it [age] one bit… I don’t feel any different. I’m super-charged now,” he told USA TODAY Sports.

And he has to be charged because Sin City’s not going to give him any leisure hours to dwell on anything. They haven’t won a playoff game since the ’02 season. Plus, the carousel of changes is just at its peak: they have shuffled 15 coaches since then. Now that Pete seems to be the man on the sideline (for now, at least), there’s just one lingering question: Who’s gonna be the next guy under center? 

Las Vegas spent last season playing QB roulette with Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. So now, Carroll and his revamped front office are going all-in on a new signal-caller. After flirting with Matthew Stafford, the Raiders have reportedly set their sights on Sam Darnold. Yes, that Sam Darnold.

The same guy who went from the Niners castoff to Vikings revelation in a single season. And the price tag? A cool $125 million over three years. Now, if you were expecting a reunion between Carroll and Russell Wilson, you can forget it.

Despite their history in Seattle, Pete Carroll didn’t even blink in Wilson’s direction. No ‘Let Russ Cook’ 2.0. No feel-good comeback story.

Instead, he’s betting on a quarterback who just had his first real taste of NFL success after years of being tossed around like a journeyman kicker. Bold move? Absolutely. But is it the right one? Darnold did put up monster numbers in Minnesota, after all—4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns don’t just appear out of thin air.

Keeping it real: He thrived under Kevin O’Connell’s system, a setup tailor-made to hide his flaws and maximize his strengths. Can he replicate that in Chip Kelly’s offense with the Raiders? Some analysts aren’t convinced. Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon went as far as to call any big-money Darnold deal a mistake, saying, “Darnold is a great bridge quarterback and a superb backup. But when it mattered most, he choked.”

That’s one of the biggest problems with Sam. The inconsistency. But hats off to the Vikes for playing it to his strength, which is balling out amazingly for a season in one system. As a member of the Gang Green, he threw 15 INTs as a rookie, and then 13 in his sophomore year. The 3rd year? Yeah, that was the year of his pro-football decline.

Carolina and San Francisco couldn’t even get half of the Sam New York got to enjoy (when it did sometimes, during ‘the’ moments).  So, Minnesota, for its part, didn’t exactly wanna risk it for a biscuit. Understandably so. They could have used the franchise tag but passed, choosing to ride with J.J. McCarthy instead.

Translation? They liked what they saw but not enough to commit long-term. And to be honest, it’s good for Darnold to leave on such a good note. Now, the Raiders are about to throw a bag at Darnold, hoping last year wasn’t just a one-hit wonder.

But hoping is the new game the Raiders would have to play because Pete Carroll has always been a gambler, and this is no different.

What’s with Pete Carroll skipping past the idea of a reunion?

So, Pete Carroll needed a quarterback. Russell Wilson needed a home. Easy reunion, right? Not so fast. Instead of rekindling the Seattle magic, Carroll swerved past Wilson like a cornerback reading a bad route. His choice? Sam Darnold, a guy still trying to prove he’s more than a journeyman with one good year under Kevin O’Connell.

Wilson’s name kept popping up in free agency chatter. After his short-lived run in Pittsburgh, a return to Carroll felt like a Hollywood comeback story waiting to happen. Even NBC’s Matthew Berry reported, “there’s something to the Pete Carroll –Russell Wilson reunion in Las Vegas rumors.” But talk is cheap, and Carroll had no interest in running it back.

Their history? Complicated. After winning the SB XLVIII together, Carroll was all smiles: “I’m so proud we’re able to stand together right here at this moment.” But that was it. That was them at the peak of their powers.

And the two did not really get along well after that. The best example, in recent times, could be the dynamic between Aaron Rodgers and Robert Saleh during their time together at the Jets.

After that ring, Wilson felt invincible and wanted more control… At the time, Russ was all-in for a pass-heavy approach but Pete was the guy who saw dubs in balanced attack with a strong running game. Yes, that’s one of the many differences between the two.

The highlight was the SB XLIX’s infamous play call controversy. The Seahawks opted for a pass play instead of a run at the goal line, resulting in an interception and a loss to the Patriots. Guess what? Fans didn’t hold back, criticizing the decision. And this was the tipping point for the Russ-Pete duo, causing friction between the two.

So, what did the guy under center do? Tried to get Carroll fired in 2022, and not surprisingly, Seattle sent Wilson packing instead. No wonder Carroll kept his distance.

But here’s the kicker—neither Wilson nor Carroll thrived without the other. Wilson flopped in Denver, battled injuries, and never regained his elite form. Then we saw how he did in Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Carroll watched his Seahawks struggle, failing to find a true successor under center. Turns out, breaking up didn’t lead to better days for either side.

And yet, when given the chance, Carroll still said “nah” to Wilson. The guy he once called a franchise cornerstone wasn’t even worth a phone call. Instead, he’s rolling the dice on Darnold, banking on a career resurgence rather than a familiar face. Bold? Maybe. Risky? Absolutely.

Now, all eyes are on Darnold. Can he justify that $125 million deal? Or will Carroll regret shutting the door on Wilson? Either way, the Raiders seemingly made their choice, and there’s no turning back now.