Emptiness on the scoreboard fuels Carroll's deep frustration as the Raiders' struggles continue, overshadowing his own job security.
In Week 15, the Las Vegas Raiders lost again, this time in a 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Geno Smith missed the game and Kenny Pickett started against his former team, but it was an ugly showing.
Now, the Raiders are 2-12, and at this point, it seems that the winner of the Week 17 game between the New York Giants and the Raiders will most likely get the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It has not been a great first year for head coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas, and while rumors have swirled about the team moving on from him after the year, the veteran coach doesn't seem worried.
But, he clearly is frustrated, as he said after the loss on Sunday.
“We’re all frustrated. We hate what’s going on,” Carroll said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “There ain’t anybody in here that doesn’t want to do something better than what we’re showing right now. And nobody’s feeling that more than I am. But, sometimes you feel like you’re the only one feeling it. So we’ll try to get through that together and it just hasn’t worked out the way we anticipated.”
“We need to keep working to get better — and that’s in all areas, all aspects of what we’re doing. I came in here thinking that we were going to turn it right away, I really did. I anticipated doing that, and that’s not what’s taken place, unfortunately," he added.
Carroll was asked about whether he thinks he is coaching for his job, but he clearly doesn't think that is the case.
“No, I don’t feel like that at all. I really don’t. I’m well beyond that. I don’t feel like that.”
It has not gone well by any means. They fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after 11 games. Rookie running back and first-round Ashton Jeanty has not found momentum, and Smith's extension looks worse with every passing week.
The Raiders surprised everyone by hiring Carroll and giving him a three-year contract going into 2025, so moving on from him this soon might be a surprise, although nothing is surprising when it comes to Las Vegas.
If the Raiders lose out and get the first pick, it could be Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and perhaps bringing in a young coach could be the turnaround this team needs.
For now, nobody knows if that will end up being the case.