Picture a ’70s muscle car, still roaring down the highway with the same grit that made it iconic. That’s Pete Carroll. At 73, the Raiders’ new head coach hasn’t lost his signature turbocharged energy. His office might as well have a neon sign flashing “No Sleep ‘Til Vegas Wins.” But this week, something unexpected rolled into town—someone from Carroll’s glory days, bringing the kind of swagger even Fonzie would tip his leather jacket to.

Raiders rookie minicamp usually plays out like a classic rock cover band: familiar drills, predictable vibes. But on Friday, the rhythm shifted. Imagine a surprise guest crashing a backyard BBQ—someone who once turned Seattle into a “Beast Mode” fever dream. The rookies didn’t see it coming. Neither did Carroll, who suddenly found himself wrapped in a bear hug from a man who once turned Super Bowl defenses into confetti.

Enter Marshawn Lynch. The five-time Pro Bowler, whose “hold my Skittles” running style defined Carroll’s Seahawks dynasty, popped into Raiders practice like he owned the place. A viral Instagram reel captured Lynch breaking the huddle, cracking jokes with first-round pick Ashton Jeanty (“You need some clothes on—I don’t talk to you butt naked!”), and swapping stories with Carroll. It was part reunion, part masterclass. “He’s [Lynch] been calling all evening here about it [Jeanty]—he’s pretty fired up,” Carroll said after the draft, drawing parallels between Lynch’s bruising style and Jeanty’s college dominance…

Jeanty, who racked up 2,601 rushing yards at Boise State (just 27 shy of Barry Sanders’ NCAA record), now carries the weight of being Carroll’s next potential franchise back. Lynch’s presence? A not-so-subtle reminder of the standard. “There are similarities in his ability to make plays when it doesn’t feel like anything is there,” Carroll added. So, Jeanty’s got the keys to the muscle car. Time to floor it.

While Lynch’s cameo stole headlines, the Raiders’ minicamp also featured a quieter subplot: redemption. Former Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith, once a Pro Bowl force sidelined by injuries and roster cuts, laced up for a tryout. Smith last played for Las Vegas in 2023, logging just two tackles in a single game. But under Carroll’s “always compete” mantra, even faded stars get a shot at rewiring their spark.

Pete Carroll’s playbook: Nostalgia meets new blood

Smith’s career reads like a country song—highs (142 tackles in 2019), lows (torn ACL/MCL in college), and a chorus of “what ifs.” Yet here he is, 29 and hungry, threading needles in Patrick Graham’s defense. For Carroll, it’s simple: You can’t teach experience. Meanwhile, Carroll’s knack for blending old-school grit with new-age talent is why Vegas hired him.

Lynch’s visit wasn’t just a photo op—it was a bridge between eras. Think of it as passing the torch, Skittles included. Meanwhile, Smith’s tryout embodies Carroll’s belief that football’s a game of second chances… and third, and fourth. Lynch’s cameo and Smith’s hustle share a common thread: Carroll’s culture. It’s why Maxx Crosby shows up to mentor rookies and why Jeanty’s already signing autographs.

In Vegas, every day feels like a reboot of Ocean’s Eleven—old pros and new recruits plotting the ultimate heist. As the minicamp wrapped, Lynch left the rookies with a smirk and a challenge: Stay ready so you don’t need to get ready. Carroll, meanwhile, stood midfield, looking every bit the kid who still believes in magic. Because in football, sometimes the past walks in to light up the future.

In a league obsessed with metrics, Carroll’s secret weapon remains unchanged: heart. Or as The Sandlot’s Squints famously said, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” So, Raiders fans—can Ashton Jeanty turn Vegas into Beast Mode 2.0, or will Jaylon Smith rewrite his own ending?