Carroll’s Raiders Tenure Isn’t His First Big Test, Just His Latest

A part of the reason the Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll was for his track record of helping resurrect football teams and organizations. He hopes to do so again in Las Vegas but has an uphill battle.

Carroll's History Proves Key

Carroll has turnaround multiple teams during his decades as a coach on the collegiate and professional levels, respectively. Although his current stint with the Raiders is unlike any other position he has held, Carroll recently noted that things have not always started off well for him.

“Yeah, well, we were 2-5 at USC, and then we didn't lose very many games after that point. And I can't remember exactly how we started in Seattle in the first four or five games, but I know we finished well, and we won the last game to win the division and to get in the playoffs and won a playoff game and all that. I know that we're going to come together. I have no hesitation in saying that. I just wish it was sooner than later," Carroll said.

“And so, we're going to keep plugging away. Our guys are practicing hard and they care, and the leadership is good, and they're solid, and they're keeping our guys’ heads in the right place. And we're counting on turning this thing," Carroll said.

Carroll noted that the Raiders do not have to look very far for motivation, as he believes the Las Vegas Aces are the model for what the Raiders hope to accomplish. The Aces were a .500 team this season before going on a historic run to the WNBA Finals.

"If you could take a lesson, let's learn the lesson that the [Las Vegas] Aces taught us. They were struggling and then they win 16 in a row, and look where they are now. And so, things can turn, and that's the only way I've ever known it, so that's the only expectation I have," Carroll said.

While the Aces are a good team to follow, it must be noted that even at .500, the Aces had one of the best rosters in the league, with what may be the greatest women's player in history on the roster. The Aces actually prove that the lack of a quality roster is the Raiders' most significant downfall.