How Tom Brady influenced Pete Carroll to take Raiders HC job

May 17, 2025, 5:20 PM

Seattle Sports

After spending a year away from the sidelines, former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is back in the NFL as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

With an assist from Tom Brady.

Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, became a minority owner of the Raiders when he purchased a 5% stake in the franchise last fall.

And as Carroll said earlier this week on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, Brady’s presence in the organization played a role in his decision to take the Raiders’ head coaching job.

“When Tom came on board here, it changed my outlook to come here,” said Carroll, whose decorated 14-year run with the Seahawks came to an end in January 2024. “I thought that would be one of the great opportunities of all time to have his presence, because his presence is strong.

“And so we’re trying to infuse Tom’s mentality,” he added. “We’re trying to bring it into the organization, because it’s so good and so unique and so one of a kind that I think it helps us have the opportunity to be a one-of-a-kind franchise.”

Brady and Carroll, of course, are both football legends.

Brady holds the all-time record for Super Bowl wins and is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. Carroll won two national championships at USC and a Super Bowl with the Seahawks, making him one of just three head coaches to win both a college football national title and a Super Bowl.

Carroll and Brady squared off four times in the NFL, including their unforgettable Super Bowl 49 encounter that produced one of the most stunning moments in the sport’s history.

But these days, they’re working together on the same team.

“We’re phone buddies,” Carroll said. “He hasn’t been out here (to Vegas) but one time I think since we’ve been here, but we’ve talked a ton of times. And talking philosophy with Tom, you can imagine what a thrill it is, because he’s the all-time competitor. And it’s not just how he played. It’s how he lived and how he sees the world and how he attacks every opportunity that he has.

“And so we’re so eye to eye on that. It’s been a blast. That’s really been fun. But the challenge of it is to bring that mentality and connect it to an entire franchise.”

Listen to the full conversation with Pete Carroll at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.