It wasn't that long ago that Pete Carroll and John Spytek were introduced together at the Las Vegas Raiders' team facility. The duo, as odd a pairing as it seemed to be at the time, were hopeful and confident when they were asked to rebuild this once-great organization and reset the culture.
Fast forward one year, and Spytek took the podium without Carroll on Monday. That's because the latter was fired following a 3-14 campaign during the 2025 NFL season. Spytek has the privilege of sticking around, however, as he'll work closely with Tom Brady to set the franchise on the right path.
Carroll's firing was inevitable, as the coach's moniker of "always compete" fell on deaf ears when the Raiders fell by double digits in eight of their 14 losses. A triumph in Week 18 against the Kansas City Chiefs was certainly a feel-good moment, but it didn't do enough to alter Carroll's fate.
John Spytek speaks to the Las Vegas media after Pete Carroll's firing
Spytek addressed the Las Vegas media in his post-season press conference for the first time since the draft on Monday afternoon. He was asked a myriad of questions, but obviously, the crux of the conversation was going to center around ousting Carroll from his post.
Instead of pointing the finger or explaining how it all went wrong with Carroll this year, the first-year general manager took the opportunity to set the record straight about where the blame lies for the Raiders' lack of success this year.
"I also want to make it extremely clear, too, that I bear a ton of responsibility for the outcome of this season and our record," Spytek said. "This isn't on any one person, and really, I don't want anyone to think that anyone deserves more responsibility than me in that. It's something I am very aware of; I think about it all the time. I am determined to get it right. The accountability should stop and start with me."
This is an incredibly honorable thing for Spytek to say, and it is a moment of vulnerability from the rookie decision-maker. He and Raider Nation should both know that a lot of the onus falls on Carroll, but Spytek recognizes that nothing good comes from incriminating the veteran coach any further.
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In response to another question, Spytek acknowledged that he let too many good players walk out of the building last offseason. Robert Spillane, K'Lavon Chaisson, Tre'Von Moehrig and Divine Deablo surely fall under this umbrella, and the fan base could recognize these losses at the time.
But a young general manager is allowed to make some mistakes, especially in their first season in the role. The best in the business don't bat 1.000. But Spytek made enough savvy moves this season, and his draft class looked great, so he is rightfully being given another chance to right the ship.
Spytek clearly has the right mindset and makeup to lead an organization, and on the rare occasions that he speaks to the media, he always instills confidence in the fan base. Nailing the head coach hire will go a long way in how his future in Las Vegas pans out. Right now, fans are still hopeful.