Pete Carroll’s firing was no surprise, especially after a 3-14 season. While the Las Vegas Raiders executives felt so, Carroll had a different view on the matter. Quarterback Geno Smith’s horrendous season became one of the highlighted reasons for his firing. However, instead of blaming the veteran quarterback, the Super Bowl-winning coach pointed his fingers at the front office for failing to provide the upgrade the Raiders needed.

“We got killed, we got killed,” said Pete Carroll to ESPN on Wednesday. “Our offensive guys up front, from the last couple of years, we got murdered. We needed to upgrade that more than we did. It didn’t happen in the draft, and it didn’t happen in the offseason. We didn’t go for it in the offseason. We needed to buy a new line to give the guys a chance to at least be more competitive. The only reason you get sacked that much is because you try to throw it too much. The whole thing didn’t quite work out and what’s why you saw a change and all that.”

It is the first time Carroll has spoken since getting sacked by the Raiders, and he did not shy away from firing the bullets. According to him, the franchise had poor pass protection. Someone like Geno Smith, who posted 4,200+ passing yards in two of his first three seasons as a starter for the Seattle Seahawks, led the season in interceptions (17) and sacks (55).

The former head coach believes the poor O-Line display forced the quarterback to make bad decisions, which ultimately reflected in his performance. The Raiders finished the season with the worst points per game (14.2) and rush yards per game (77.5). It highlights that it was not just the quarterback, but also the wideouts and running backs who failed because of the offensive line. Amid the chaos, the head coach fired the offensive coordinator after 11 games.

Bringing in some new options would have also created a competitive environment. With the thought of getting benched lurking in their minds, they would have performed better. Unfortunately, the front office did not listen to Carroll. Neither did they draft anyone, sign anyone during free agency, nor initiate a trade. Ultimately, it led to the head coach getting fired and Geno Smith getting traded to the New York Jets for a 2026 sixth-round pick. Having failed to accomplish what he had initially thought, Pete Carroll admittedly regretted how his reunion with Smith turned out.

Pete Carroll regretted not getting the best out of Geno Smith

In his first interview since getting fired, Pete Carroll showcased an unfiltered version of himself. He had a lot to say, but had only one regret about his job in Las Vegas. Bringing in Geno Smith was his decision. Since they had a history together, he thought the partnership clicked. Unfortunately, it backfired. Seeing Smith getting traded just one season prompted him to react to the news, revealing how he felt.

“He’s a phenomenal quarterback; he really is,” Carroll said on ESPN on Wednesday in his first interview since leaving the Raiders. “He had a fantastic offseason and preseason with us, and he comes out in the first game, has a great first game. It was all fitting. It was exactly the right time for us. Then we just faltered and faltered. We didn’t do well enough, coaching. We should’ve had him better prepared for the things that happened, and that wouldn’t have happened.”

When Smith joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, Carroll was the head coach. For the first couple of years, he was the backup QB behind Russell Wilson. After Russell was traded to the Broncos in 2022, Smith assumed his position. Likewise, he did not disappoint, adding 12,226 passing yards and 71 touchdowns, with an average passer rating of 95.4 in three seasons. Following the 2023 season, Carroll was removed as the head coach due to the mediocre performance.

Coming to Las Vegas in 2025, many had hoped to see the partnership bring success in Sin City. However, it was exactly the opposite. Although the 35-year-old had a good start to the offseason and preseason, he failed to do it in the regular season. In Week 1 against the Patriots, he had a 70% pass completion rate for 362 yards and a touchdown. However, as the season progressed, they spiralled downward. Carroll regretted not preparing him well enough. If the franchise had been a little more careful, things would not have turned out like that. He even took the blame.

I take a lot of responsibility in that,” Carroll said. “We didn’t prepare him well enough in the offseason, even though he looked great and we felt we had everything lined up. It was very, very disappointing for us both. He got off to such a miserable start, and it wasn’t just him.”

Smith had just two wins for the Silver and Black. While there is no remedy for Carroll’s regret, it remains to be seen how Smith performs in his new home. It is his second stint with the Jets.