Raiders HC Pete Carroll discusses return to Seattle in first preseason game

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is returning to the stadium he once called home.

The Seattle Seahawks host the Raiders Thursday in their first preseason game at 10 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Carroll coached Seattle from 2010-23, going 137-89-1 in the regular season. He spent the 2024 season as a senior advisor for the team before leaving for Las Vegas. 

Carroll is downplaying the storyline. 

"It's the only game we've got. It happens to be in Seattle," the coach told the media Tuesday. "I loved my time in Seattle, loved the fans and the people we met, and dealt with and competed with. But it's a game for us we're going to play ball." 

Still, Carroll's return is a big reason the Las Vegas-Seattle matchup could be one of the more notable preseason games. Several of his former Seahawks, including quarterback Geno Smith and safety Jamal Adams, are now Raiders, adding to the intrigue. Carroll said Smith and other starters will play against Seattle. 

It's unclear whether the Seahawks have a tribute video planned for the coach and the two-time Pro Bowl QB. Whether Seattle has one or not, the city should appreciate Carroll for turning its team into a premier organization. 

"We should be cheering Pete when he gets here," Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald said Saturday, per Cameron Van Til of KIRO-AM in Seattle. "We should be cheering Geno. How could you not? We should be cheering those guys. Now, when the ball is snapped, we're going to go try to win the game. We're not going to be playing our starters, but we're going to compete like heck. I think Pete would appreciate that.

 

"I hope Pete gets a great ovation. He deserves it."

Carroll's now trying to instill a winning culture in Las Vegas. The Raiders haven't made the playoffs since the 2021 season and have not won a playoff game since the 2002 season.

It's not Carroll's first challenging rebuild, though. Look at the Seahawks before he arrived. Before hiring the coach, Seattle had never won a Super Bowl. During his tenure, the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII and five NFC West titles.