Raiders minority owner Tom Brady may have surprising Pete Carroll replacement in mind

Minority owner Tom Brady may be trying to bring the "Patriot Way" to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders have officially moved on from head coach Pete Carroll after a dreadful season comes to a close. Entering its regular-season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-10), Vegas (2-14) had the worst record in the NFL and ranked last in the league in points scored (14.2) and 25th in points allowed (26.3). 

To replace Carroll, former New England Patriots quarterback Brady may convince the Raiders to target Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as HC. He would also have them hire former New York Giants HC Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. 

"As the chatter goes, Flores would be the head coach, and former Giants offensive coordinator Brian Daboll would be the offensive coordinator," wrote Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio in a story published Sunday. "Like Flores, Daboll has extensive experience with the Patriot Way. Daboll was there for the Super Bowl wins of the Brady/[Bill] Belichick era and for two of the second trio of championships."  

Would Brian Flores save Raiders? 

Flores has a proven track record as an assistant. He served as Patriots DC from 2016-18, helping the franchise win two of its six Super Bowls. This season, the Vikings boast one of the top defenses in the league. Entering Sunday, Minnesota (8-8) ranked 10th in the NFL in points allowed (20.6). 

However, when Flores served as Miami Dolphins HC from 2019-21, he flopped, posting a 24-25 record and making no playoff appearances. His struggles likely stemmed from his inability to bond with QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has said the coach caused him to lose confidence.

"I think, you know, part of coaching is correcting," Flores said of Tagovailoa's comments in August 2024, via The Athletic's Alec Lewis and Amos Morales III. "I'm always going to correct. I'm always going to have a high standard. And I think, look, I've done a lot of reflecting on the situation and communication. I think there's things I could do better for sure, and I've grown in that way. I try to apply the things that I could do better and the things that I've learned over the last two or three years."

Bringing Daboll on board could also help Flores develop a young QB. Buffalo Bills eighth-year QB Josh Allen made his first Pro Bowl during the 2020 season when Daboll was OC. 

That's key for the Raiders. They'll likely select a passer, perhaps Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, in the 2026 NFL Draft to replace starting QB Geno Smith. The 35-year-old QB tossed 17 interceptions through his first 15 starts this season, the second most in his career. 

But former Belichick assistants flop as HCs. The Raiders should remember that. They hired former HC Josh McDaniels in 2022, and look at how that worked out. He went 9-16 before being fired in October 2023.

Considering that, Brady and company may want to branch out and not hire another assistant from Belichick's rotten coaching tree. The franchise could continue to struggle if it does.