Raiders owner Mark Davis gets extremely blunt on pursuing Ben Johnson for HC job before Bears' move

The Las Vegas Raiders have been trying to recruit a solid head coach to lead the franchise over the years. Since the 2014 season, they have had six different coaches and it is difficult to find a rhythm and build a culture. The team decided to move on from coach Antonio Pierce just one year after promoting him from the interim coach in 2023.

After the press conference to officially announce Pete Carroll as the Las Vegas Raiders' coach on Monday, majority owner Mark Davis was asked by the media about their pursuit of new Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson before deciding on Carroll.

"No, we didn't think we had Ben Johnson. We never made an offer to Ben Johnson. He's a Chicago Bear."

Ben Johnson was one of the hottest coordinators on the coaching market. The Detroit Lions finished second in passing (263.2 yards per game), sixth in rushing (146.4), and first in scoring (33.2) under Johnson in 2024.

Who will Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders hire as coordinators?

The Las Vegas Raiders have vacancies at both the offensive and defensive coordinators as they hired general manager John Spytek and coach Pete Carroll. Hiring the offensive and defensive coordinators are going to be critical and some candidates make the most sense.

For the offensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins quarterback coach Darrell Bevell is a name that continues to pop up. He was the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks from 2011-17 as well as the Detroit Lions (2019-20) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2021). He has the connection to Carroll in winning the Super Bowl together, so he is the most likely candidate.

Pete Carroll's son, Brennan Carroll, is the offensive coordinator for the Washington Huskies and has experience as an offensive coordinator in college football. It is a bit unlikely but he can be the coach-in-waiting for once his father retires. There is also the belief that Shane Waldron could be the OC, as he has a connection with Pete Carroll as well.

For the Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley has the familiarity as defensive coordinator with Pete Carroll (2010-12) and with the Raiders (2021). Nick Sorenson is another name to watch as he was fired after one season with the San Francisco 49ers and was an assistant on Carroll's Seahawks staff.