Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Game Brady, Carroll and the Raiders Have Circled

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated May 19, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders will eventually head to the East Coast and take the field to start the new season. It will be the start of another coaching regime for the Silver and Black, as John Spytek and Pete Carroll will be the team's third general manager and head coach in as many years.

As the Raiders start anew, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports believes they have an underrated game on their schedule that many may overlook. Still, those in and around the Raiders organization have circled.

Although the Raiders have huge matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys, Vacchiano believes the Raiders have circled their Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots.

"No, this isn’t going to be circled on the calendars of the fans of either team — or fans of any other teams for that matter. After all, the two teams combined to go 8-26 last season. But you know who has it circled? Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who is now a part-owner of the Raiders," Vacchiano said.

"He may be busy with a FOX Sports game that week, but you know he’ll have an eye on his current team going up against his old one. This one is probably circled by any Raiders leftover from the Josh McDaniels error. He’s now the Patriots' offensive coordinator."

McDaniels went 9-16 as the Raiders' head coach, setting the team back in many ways. McDaniels dug the Raiders into a hole, and they are still working their way out of it several years later. It will take at least another season or two before the Raiders fully recover from their failed experiment with him.

Week 1 allows the Raiders to finally move past last season by playing meaningful football games. Since Brady was approved as a minority owner in the middle of last season, the Raiders' season opener is their first Week 1 game with Brady in the fold and under Spytek and Carroll.

Las Vegas starting a new era against a team they will forever be tied to in NFL history, Brady's former team, and a team with several former Raiders on it, only makes sense. It is an opportunity for both teams to display their progress this offseason, as both teams certainly improved.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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