To put things simply, the Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce this offseason and replaced him with Pete Carroll, an experienced coach with a Super Bowl ring. However, as Raider Nation knows, that is far from the whole story.
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was the apple of the Raiders' eye during the coaching cycle, as new minority owner Tom Brady fawned over the young play-caller. However, Johnson used Las Vegas as leverage and was ultimately hired by the Chicago Bears.
Many felt that the team simply did their due dilligence with candidates like Vance Joseph, Steve Spagnuolo, Robert Saleh and Aaron Glenn before pivoting to their next-best choice, which was Carroll. However, details are emerging now that the Raiders had their eyes on someone else.
Raiders reportedly wanted Liam Coen during the coaching cycle
On Wednesday, The Athletic's Mike Jones listed his 2025 offseason winners and losers. Unsurprisingly, he listed the Raiders among his winners, but he also slipped in an interesting note about the team's preferences for head coaches this offseason.
"The Raiders wanted Liam Coen to be their head coach," Jones wrote. "But wound up with Pete Carroll, who — given the state of the franchise — is probably better suited for the job anyway."
This report is so out of left field that it almost feels like it could have been a typo. Coen, the former offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, would have been a strong choice given his relationship with John Spytek and his status as an up-and-comer in the coaching world.
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However, at no point in the coaching cycle was Las Vegas legitimately linked to Coen, at least not publicly. The Raiders did not even request an interview with the now-Jaguars coach, so Jones' report was a bit of a bombshell.
The timeline is also a bit murky on this, as Las Vegas hired Carroll before Coen accepted the job in Jacksonville. If Brady and Mark Davis truly wanted Coen, it stands to reason that they would have been a bit more patient and let things play out with him before immediately jumping on Carroll.
Jones is ultimately correct in his assessment that the Raiders are better off with a proven winner like Carroll in charge, as the franchise and its fans know all too well what can happen with a first-time head coach.
Still, this report uncovers a bit of news that Raider Nation was not privvy to, which should make the fan base proud. No good organization reveals all their private dealings, so maybe Las Vegas is finally operating in a way that can breed success.