Pete Carroll Credits Tom Brady’s Influence for Joining Raiders: “We’re Phone Buddies”

Pete Carroll decided that he would coach the Raiders because he would rather not pass up on the chance to work with Tom Brady.

Pete Carroll Credits Tom Brady’s Influence for Joining Raiders: “We’re Phone Buddies”

Tom Brady and Pete Carroll (Image via IMAGO)

The Las Vegas Raiders made a surprising move in the offseason. They hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll, who had quit the NFL in 2024 after leaving the Seattle Seahawks.

Raiders Nation finally found something to cheer about because their team has been in the shadow of divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, for nearly a decade.

During a recent segment of Brock & Salt, Carroll disclosed the reason behind choosing the Raiders as his next project. He credited Tom Brady for the decision.

Brady had been in talks to buy a minority share in the Vegas club since his retirement from football. Owner Mark Davis loved the idea of bringing the seven-time Super Bowl winner as the face of the franchise.

It took a while, but eventually the NFL approved Brady buying a small part of the Raiders. Pete Carroll said

When Tom [Brady] came on board here [at Raiders], it changed my outlook to come here. His presence is strong… We’re trying to infuse Tom’s mentality. We’re trying to bring it into the organization because it’s so good, so unique.

After Carroll, Brady rang his old friend from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers days. John Spytek was the assistant general manager of the Florida-based club when Brady left the Patriots to play for the Bucs. Spytek took over as the Raiders’ general manager, and his first big move was reuniting Carroll with his former Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.

Tom Brady is fully committed to making the Raiders a better team

The appeal of the Raiders faded over time. Gone were the days of Al Davis and John Madden on the sidelines in Oakland. They won multiple Super Bowls but haven’t played in football’s premier game since 2002, when they lost against the Buccaneers.

Pete Carroll Credits Tom Brady's Influence for Joining Raiders: "We're Phone Buddies"
Tom Brady (Image via IMAGO)

Brady and Carroll want to bring back those glory days to the Raider Nation. They don’t often get the chance to meet face-to-face, but stay connected on the phone.

We’re phone buddies… Talking philosophy with Tom, you can imagine what a thrill it is. He’s the all-time competitor. It’s not just how he played; it’s how he lives and how he sees the world and attacks every opportunity that he has.

Pete Carroll added

Carroll aims to use Brady’s experience in big game moments to bring the best from the current roster.

The challenge of it is to bring that mentality and connect it to an entire franchise.

This wasn’t the first time Carroll gave Brady his flowers. During the NFL scouting combine, when they were busy looking for talent to add to their team, Carroll explained the 47-year-old’s presence helped him in deciding to join the Raiders.

When Tom wanted to do this and he wanted to be part of this thing, that changed my outlook on what could be possible. He has a great competitive mentality and spirit, and he passed it right to the rest of the ownership group that has been incredibly fired up and jacked to do something special.

Pete Carroll said via the New York Post

The Raiders drafted exciting running back prospect Ashton Jeanty sixth overall as their poster child for years to come.

The NFL recently released the 2025 regular season schedule, and in the opening week, Carroll and Geno Smith will play against their former team, the Seahawks.

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