The Las Vegas Raiders have been synonymous with dysfunction for more than two decades. The fan base thought things would be different during the 2025 NFL season, as the organization brought in a Super Bowl-winning veteran head coach in Pete Carroll.
Las Vegas also hired known offensive guru Chip Kelly to run a revamped unit, making him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history. The moves did not work out for Las Vegas, as Kelly was fired after just 11 games, and Carroll is also in danger of not being with the team in 2026.
Plenty of reports have emerged since Kelly was fired, making it clear that the head coach and offensive coordinator were not on the same page. The ongoing media back-and-forth between the two could provide the Raiders with even more reason not to bring Carroll back next season.
Pete Carroll's feud with Chip Kelly is yet another reason for him to be fired
Conflicting reports had given fans no true indication of who was truly in charge of the Raiders' offense over the first 11 games. While many believed that Kelly, due to his experience and the amount that he was paid, had full control, it has since been revealed that this wasn't exactly the case.
Despite being a defensive-minded coach, Carroll's insistence on having full, or at least a good amount of control, allegedly extended to the offense. That thought process, combined with the offense's atrocious performance this season, is likely to scare off any great offensive minds.
Carroll's handling of Kelly and their subsequent feud will likely lead offensive coordinator candidates to believe that they will not have the full reins of the offense and will be scapegoated when things inevitably go wrong. Them, instead of Carroll's two sons, both of whom have been a disaster this year.
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Furthermore, this is not the first time that Las Vegas' head coach has publicly feuded with an offensive coordinator. Current Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer served as Carroll's offensive coordinator for three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
While the team finished in the top nine of scoring in each of those years, he was fired due to "philosophical differences." That just means Schottenheimer wasn't doing what Carroll wanted, even though the Seahawks were having success.
Carroll has clearly shown a lack of willingness to compromise with his staff in his later years. Even worse, he has proven that he has no issue throwing his assistants under the bus when things aren't going according to his plan.
Any proven offensive coach will likely look to avoid such a dysfunctional situation on what is already a very bad team. Carroll's inability to cede power to his coaching staff -- and how that could prevent the franchise from landing a strong offensive mind to develop a potential rookie quarterback -- is yet another reason, in a season filled with them, that he should not be back with the Raiders in 2026.