Whether it was going to show up noticeably in terms of wins and losses this year was uncertain, but Pete Carroll was supposed to set a new tone and a new standard for the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2025 NFL season.
A 2-11 record that seems in line to become 3-14 when it's all said and done, at best, is bad enough. But Carroll has appeared to be out of his element in ways no one could've expected, and at this point, it'd be surprising if he's not one-and-done as the head coach in Las Vegas.
The Raiders have deeper issues that a head coach can't necessarily fix immediately. But Carroll has not been what he was advertised to be, or what his resume and reputation said he would be. If anything, things have turned worse this year.
Candidate to replace Pete Carroll would be small extra win for the Raiders
In their buzz column heading into Week 15, ESPN NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler addressed the head coaching candidacy of Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Graziano especially made a case for Joseph to get a second chance as a head coach.
Then, Graziano dropped the Raiders as a team Joseph could land with.
"I think he gets several interviews and could be a strong candidate in a place such as Las Vegas, should that job come open," Graziano wrote.
Raider Nation would surely like to re-order Graziano's final words there to say "that job should come open" after the disaster that this season has been. But moving on from Carroll has to come with a solid idea of who could replace him, and perhaps those back channels are already being explored.
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It's not an accident that Fowler and Graziano specifically did a focused, deeper dive into Joseph's head coaching candidacy than any other potential candidate this week. It also lands intentional that Graziano specifically mentioned the Raiders as a potential landing spot for him.
Joseph wouldn't be a head coaching hire that inspires any fanbase to cry out "Super Bowl," but the Raiders have been there and done that with more heavily-hyped candidates. While Joseph didn't exactly thrive as the head coach in Denver, maybe he's learned under Sean Payton as a coordinator.
So, going with a lower-key hire, while also leaving the division rival Broncos to replace their defensive coordinator, who has enjoyed so much success in Denver, might be perfect if the move is made to part with Carroll. A bit of a hidden bonus for Las Vegas, if you will, hurting their AFC West foe.