Raiders make expected Pete Carroll decision amid Tom Brady rumors

A report from ahead of the first weekend of 2026 revealed that some in-the-know individuals believe that Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady "is being treated by [Raiders principal owner] Mark Davis as the de facto boss when it comes to football matters." 

Assuming that's accurate, Brady didn't wait long to make his first major move of the offseason. 

Raiders show Pete Carroll the door after awful season

In a statement shared on the Raiders' website, Davis confirmed on Monday that the Raiders have relieved Pete Carroll of his duties after just one season of serving as the club's head coach. 

"We appreciate and wish him and his family all the best," Davis said about Carroll. "Moving forward, general manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with Tom Brady, including the search for the club's next head coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization's long-term vision and goals." 

The Raiders hired Spytek, Brady's former teammate at Michigan, as their general manager in January 2025. Meanwhile, a Sunday report claimed that Brady could campaign for the Raiders to hire Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as their next head coach. That same story noted that Brady may want former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll to become Las Vegas' next offensive coordinator. 

Raiders got biggest decision wrong under Pete Carroll

As for what went wrong for a Raiders team that went 3-14 under Carroll, the decision to acquire quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks and then sign him to a two-year contract extension was nothing short of disastrous for Las Vegas. Pro Football Reference stats show that Smith tossed a league-worst 17 interceptions over 15 starts. 

The Raiders are expected to move on from Smith during the offseason. Smith first played for Carroll from 2019-23 when Carroll was head coach of the Seahawks.

Most outsiders assume the Raiders will make quarterback Fernando Mendoza or signal-caller Dante Moore the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. It's fair to wonder if Brady has a preference regarding the two players and if his opinion could ultimately determine who replaces Carroll as the Raiders' next head coach.