73 year-old Pete Carroll makes feelings known about being the oldest head coach in NFL

Pete Carroll is officially back in the NFL. The 73-year-old has become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following a sabbatical year.

Carroll, who has held the same job for the New York Jets, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, has now officially become the league's oldest head coach. There was a belief that, after leaving the Seattle Seahawks after the 2023 season, he would retire. But that has not happened.

In an interview woth Channel 8 News Now, Carroll said he knew that people will talk about his age. However, he wants to make it clear: he does not care about what people have to say.

"Just watch us. See what we're all about, what we do. I'm not concerned about that at all. I'm a skilled athlete. I was number 40 all my life. I’m just gonna do it the way I know how to do it and kick ass in every aspect, if we're fortunate to do it".

Carroll joins the franchise a year after Antonio Pierce made the same move. Pierce, an interim head coach during the 2023 season, became the official head coach in 2024. However, the Raiders' poor performances and the 4-13 record prompted Mark Davis and new owner Tom Brady to make changes.

Pete Carroll's long and successful career has Raiders hoping for better days

Tom Brady, the new minority owner, was reportedly hands-on during the search for a new head coach. He knows Carroll extremely well, as he has played against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX with the head coach as his opponent.

During his successful stint in Seattle, he had a great 137-89-1 record during 14 years, including five NFC West titles, two Super Bowl appearances and a ring. He also had a positive record in the playoffs, winning 10 out of 19 games.

The last time that the franchise won a playoff game was back in the 2002 season, when they made it to the Super Bowl before losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After two decades of suffering, they hope to change fortunes with a coach with a great history in the NFL.