The Raiders are expected to fire head coach Pete Carroll at the end of the season, and one of the team’s former players explained why the decision needs to come down sooner than later.
Marshall Newhouse played the 2017 season in Oakland and although he has repeatedly voiced his respect for Carroll, Newhouse doesn’t believe the 74-year-old should be influencing the team’s long-term decisions any longer.
“The rumors around have been [about Carroll’s] influence in every part and facet of this team, as well a guy of his stature should be. But you can’t expect them to take Fernando Mendoza and then the next nine picks not be affected by what Pete Carroll wants and the team Pete Carroll wants,” Newhouse said on the Just Win podcast this week.
“So, leaving him around means you ultimately are influencing the team to be like him. And if he’s not the guy who you’re going to be hoping is there for 5 to 10 years, this is a complete misstep and the wrong way to go about building this. It’s not to disparage Pete Carroll. It’s a fit thing and you have to be proactive if you care about winning.”
“Sometimes that means doing the thing that might feel not great and not maybe deserving, but in the grand scheme long term for your team, it’s the right thing to do. Right now, I think they’ve got to move on for Pete. I don’t know what they’re waiting on… every week that goes by, you’re losing a chance to build a better foundation.”
Newhouse said he understands the season has to end to move away from Carroll, but it’s no secret (Newhouse didn’t say this) that Tom Brady has been calling around trying to gauge interest in the Raiders’ potential head coaching vacancy.
As for Carroll’s power within the organization, league insider Tony Pauline reported this week that it was Carroll who was the loudest voice in the building on Ashton Jeanty.
“According to sources, Spytek did not have much say in the hiring of Carroll,” Pauline reported on Monday.
“Holding the sixth pick of the 2025 draft, the Raiders selected record-setting running back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State, a Carroll pick,” Pauline said. “I’m told there was pushback on the selection, as many in and around the organization believed a lineman was the way to go.”
“Defensive tackle Mason Graham was a name making the rounds, as he was seen as a replacement for Wilkins, who the team knew they would be without in 2025. The Raiders had no opportunity to draft Graham, as the Browns selected him with the fifth choice.”
x: @raidersbeat
Brady making phone calls huh? Hopefully every agent is telling Tommy “Vespa” Brady pay my client & stay the fudge out of his way
The right thing to do is let Pete finish the season and thank him for his efforts. Time to realize the game is deeper and faster than what Pete thought. Wasn’t a bad idea till it was. I’d love to know how it would’ve worked without Pete’s boys in the picture.
This losing season IS the best thing that could have possibly have happened to this team. NOW, a full scale reshaping must take place. So, let’s start with quarterback depth. My suggestions; go get Joshua Dobbs as the second string quarterback. He’s younger and more mobile than Geno and extremely battle tested. Next, go get Malik Willis as the starting quarterback. He’s young, mobile, plenty of upside and deserving of a starting role. Lastly, at the quarterback position, draft a young, mobile man with potential, who IS NOT under pressure to start right away. These moves will give the Raiders quarterback room plenty of experience, depth and longevity.
Next, the offensive line should be the priority. LOAD and I mean LOAD up on young bucks. Trade Kolton Miller for whatever they can get for him and start to heed Al Davis’ own edict; The greatness of the Raiders IS their future. After securing quarterback depth, NOTHING is more important than quarterback protection. Even current Raiders management can no longer ignore this. It’s all about priorities and anyone who saw last years Super Bowl knows that a substandard offensive line is what kept the Kansas City Chiefs from winning another Super Bowl.
THIS YEAR, those SHOULD BE the Raiders TOP TWO priorities. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the revitalization of this franchise won’t happen in one offseason either. Anyone who believes otherwise is delusional and only has to look at the past 10 years of the Raiders management teams attempts at quick fixes. It’s an old adage but it still rings true; slow and steady wins the race.
Additionally, get a couple of fullbacks who are tightend body types and USE them. In the past, Gruden almost killed Josh Jacobs through overuse. Don’t let that same thing happen to Ashton Genty. Learn from other’s past mistakes. On third and short, employ some common sense and fight bulk with bulk instead of killing your top flight runningback. It’s called THINKING. A bruising runningback in a tightend’s body is what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had in Mike Alstott, the San Francisco 49ers had in Tom Rathman, The Miami Dolphins had in Jim Kick. the Kansas City Chiefs had in Christian Okoye and the Dallas Cowboys had in Moose Johnston. Emulate tried, trusted, proven and successful practices.
One of the things that EVERY Raiders fan loved about Al Davis was the he WAS NOT passive. Al said that he wanted to dictate to other teams what the Raiders were going to do to them and NOT the other way around. Sadly, in my opinion, past Raiders coaches WERE NOT visionaries who knew how to dictate the narrative. THAT was what the Raiders did under Al Davis’ leadership. Not this passive, soft type of football that we see today. Instead of sucking up to keep their jobs and income, Raiders coaches need to buck up and push the envelope. That’s what Al did and while his flame remains the spirit of what he stood for has been lost. Al Davis said that he wanted to dominate, not just squeek by.
I’ve been a Raiders fan since 1968 and I remember a team that was hated by ALL and the envy of ALL other football teams and the GOLD standard that ALL OTHER football teams aspired to, with the possible exception of the Vince Lombardi lead Green Bay Packers. In my opinion, today’s coaches are soft and certainly don’t know how to control the narrative. John Madden said that he didn’t have a lot of rules but the ONE RULE that he did have was; “…play like Hell on Sunday.” Surely, THAT is MISSING from today’s Raiders with the notable exception of Maxx Crosby.
Been a Raiders fan since 1970 and I know exactly what your saying and couldn’t agree more. Madden’s priority on offense was to build a good O-line, and Davis’s priority on defense was build a good secondary. And yes, you must have a fired up and tough head coach on the sidelines. Not a soft, arms folded dude that looks like a deer in the headlights. Forget that “players coach” bullsh**t. That’s soft crap and causes lack of discipline with the players. And he shouldn’t be above the age of 50. Most of the coaches these days are in their 30’s and 40’s. Super Bowl winners like Madden, Flores and Gruden (Bucs)
So, Pete Carroll please leave while your career record still has more wins than losses. The game has passed you by.
And Mark Davis, time for you to grow some balls and start acting like your Father. Clean house, start fresh and draft Mendoza!!