Pete Carroll says 2-6 Raiders are focused on winning now, not rebuilding

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. Photo by: AP Photo/Steve Marcus

A team doesn't hire a coach in his 70s with the expectation of rebuilding — and that certainly wasn't Pete Carroll's mindset when he took over the Raiders in January.

Las Vegas' moves since then to bring in veteran players, many coached by Carroll in Seattle, underscore the Raiders don't have the intention of taking a longer view.

The club's 2-6 start suggests maybe it should.

But with Tuesday's trade deadline staring the Raiders in the face, Carroll made it clear Monday he was thinking more short term than long. He was asked whether he would consider making a deal that might not pay off immediately but would be beneficial in the long run.

“It never comes to my mind at all,” Carroll said. "We’re trying to get better right now and see what we can get done.”

Carroll, of course, isn't the general manager — John Spytek holds that title — but many of the transactions appear to have Carroll's fingerprints all over them. Both have said they work together, but the details on how that actually breaks down is fuzzy.

There is little doubt Carroll would have taken this job if he hadn't been promised a major say in personnel.

No matter who's calling the shots, Carroll finds himself in a place familiar to most Raiders first-year coaches. The club has hired 11 coaches (not including interims) since 2004, and eight have gone 2-6 or worse in their first eight games.

That includes the other three most recent hires — Antonio Pierce last season, Josh McDaniels in 2022 and Jon Gruden in 2018.

It’s a track record that shows the approach to constantly think about winning immediately hasn’t worked. The Raiders have never undergone a true rebuild, and owner Mark Davis has talked many times about how hungry he is to win, a major reason he brought in Tom Brady as a minority owner.

So instead of the Raiders positioning themselves for a high draft pick next year, they will see if they can put together a much stronger half of the season. There is a reason to think they can accomplish that.

This is the healthiest the Raiders have been since the season opener and Las Vegas is two plays from being 4-4 and a much different outlook. Chicago blocked what would have been the winning field goal, and Jacksonville knocked down the 2-point pass in overtime on Sunday.

But the rest of the schedule isn't easy. The Raiders might be favored when Cleveland visits Nov. 23 and the New York Giants come to town in Week 17. It's difficult, however, to find many wins on the remaining schedule, so the Raiders might wind up with a high draft pick anyway, whether they want it or not.