The Las Vegas Raiders took a leap of faith this offseason when they hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll to be the team's next head coach.
While Carroll had more experience and accolades than any other candidate in the cycle, fans had reservations about a rebuilding franchise hiring an aging coach.
However, Carroll was able to convince general manager John Spytek to send a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks, his former team, in exchange for Geno Smith, his former quarterback.
This provided a massive upgrade compared to what the team had under center last season. All of a sudden, this Raiders team looks like it can compete right away despite playing in a brutal AFC West division.
Most assumed that the connection between these two men was the reason that they ended up reuniting in Las Vegas. Smith all but confirmed this when he spoke to the media on Monday.
"I don't know (if I would be here without coach Carroll)," Smith said. "For coach Carroll to be here, and for him to have me as part of this thing, to be able to lead this thing, it's a dream come true. But, also, he understands what I'm about, I understand what he's about."
After spending several seasons floating between a part-time starter and a backup, Smith was able to earn a starting role for Carroll and the Seahawks in 2022.
That season, he was the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award, and he used the momentum to put together two straight Pro Bowl campaigns.
Smith may already be 34 years old, but he has only played 94 games in his career, so he should still have quite a bit left in the tank. He even threw for a career-best 4,320 passing yards last season and had a career-high 70.4% completion percentage. (via Pro Football Reference).
While Las Vegas has several unproven pieces that they will need to rely on this season, Smith and Carroll's relationship is a testament to the fact that the veteran coach can draw the best out of anyone.
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