Raheem Mostert discusses cultural shift with the Raiders

When Pete Carroll took the reins as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, the first impression he gave off was how he was going to revitalize the culture of the team.

With successful seasons coming few and far between in recent years, the Raiders were a legacy brand stuck in a downtrodden state. Carroll, however, brought decades of success with him at both the college and NFL levels, winning national championships and Super Bowl rings along the way. Carroll’s boundless enthusiasm balanced perfectly with his experience, and those aspects were going to be critical in establishing an identity for a Raiders franchise that had struggled to find one.

The impact has certainly been felt by the locker room, and the Raiders appear to be on the right track because of it.

One player has discussed what Carroll has brought to the Raiders.

In an interview with Yahoo! Sports, Raiders running back Raheem Mostert talked about what Carroll implemented to change the culture of the team.

“He wanted to make sure that it was known that we’re just going to compete,” Mostert said.

“That was the central theme of everything that we do is competing and…putting everybody in position in order to do what they have to do and to be successful, you know, that was his main thing.”

To those who have followed Carroll’s coaching career, that should be no surprise.

Compete level has been something Carroll has preached throughout his career, and no one can argue against the success of his philosophy. The approach can be felt in how Carroll’s teams played on the field, being physical and embracing an old-school mentality. Above all else, though, Carroll wants his players to be themselves instead of shoehorning players into roles they do not fit in.

“It’s like, you’re gonna come in here, you’re gonna have your shot, you’re gonna get an opportunity, and we don’t wanna hold that against you,” Mostert continued.

“We want you to be who you are as a player.”

That mentality shone through in the Raiders’ Week One triumph over the New England Patriots, and the coaching difference that Carroll has brought compared to recent iterations has already made its mark.