The Las Vegas Raiders opened their 2025 campaign with a gritty 20-13 win over the New England Patriots, a result that immediately injected optimism into their playoff push. Snapping a three-year postseason drought is suddenly on the table, especially with Pete Carroll at the helm on a fresh three-year contract. After the failed Antonio Pierce experiment, Carroll’s arrival feels like the kind of reset Las Vegas has been waiting for.

But Pierce isn’t letting his tenure fade quietly. Now an analyst on CBS Sports’ NFL Today, the former coach contrasted his short stint with Carroll’s setup, hinting he never had the same support. “But I think the key thing that happened for Pete Carroll: he got his quarterback. He got his quarterback, he got the guy that, ‘Look man, I go to war for this guy,’ and that’s what Geno Smith said out the gate. Then, he went and got a running back,” Pierce said, underlining what he believes was missing when he was in charge.

Pierce didn’t stop there, making it clear he wanted the same backing during his short stint in Las Vegas. “It’s interesting for me, because that’s what I wanted last year, and I didn’t get it. My guy, Josh Jacobs, he plays for the Green Bay Packers,” Pierce said, slipping in an awkward jab at the Raiders’ front office. He then credited Carroll and GM John Spytek for creating the kind of coach-GM alignment he felt was missing with Tom Telesco in Vegas.

The critique echoed what Pierce said just a week earlier, when he slammed the Raiders’ lack of stability after years of coaching turnover. “At some point, you’ve got to find a coach that you like. You’ve got to like the culture, the accountability, the responsibility, and then the commitment. Everything with the Raiders is about commitment to excellence. Well, how do you have excellence? You need consistency,” Pierce said on September 7. For two straight weeks, the ex-coach has underlined the same point: the Raiders gave Pete Carroll what they never gave him — stability and, more importantly, a quarterback.

The present Raiders coach, Carroll, took over the leadership role and finally got them the stability they were searching for. He not only brought QB Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks but also provided veteran expertise by bringing in a good general manager in John Spytek. Carroll and Spytek were also able to bring defensive coordinator Patrick Graham back to Las Vegas and onto their staff. It appears that the 73-year-old had something to learn from his predecessor.

Pete Carroll turns the Raiders’ locker room into a playhouse theatre

Though the Raiders kicked off their 2025 season with an exciting victory, the real spark came the night before. Pete Carroll, the fiery soon-to-be 74-year-old head coach, put on a show during his first pregame meeting with the team. In a moment that those in the room won’t forget, Carroll dramatically kicked through a whiteboard, creating chaos and excitement among the players. Though he got his staff and “his guy” on the roster, this move seemed confusing as well as dramatic to many.

One source even likened Pete Carroll’s fiery pregame entrance to a WWE superstar cutting a promo, making it clear the Raiders hadn’t flown to New England just to show up. They came to win. Carroll stalked through the room, locking eyes with the ex-Patriots on his roster, before smashing the whiteboard to symbolize breaking down the door. The message landed. The Raiders rode that energy into a 20-13 victory. It’s a proof that Carroll’s theatrics had lit a fire under the team.

At nearly 74, Carroll doesn’t look like a coach winding down. He looks like one recharging a franchise. Here for short fix! His trademark energy and proven knack for rebuilding teams, from USC to the Seahawks, is now fueling the Raiders’ turnaround. And with the Los Angeles Chargers up next, don’t be surprised if the locker room sees another bit of Carroll theatre before kickoff… Maybe even a new “good luck charm” to keep this momentum rolling.