HENDERSON, Nev. — Pete Carroll’s power was in overdrive throughout Las Vegas Raiders minicamp.
Decked out in a white long-sleeve shirt, grey sweats and a Raiders hat, the first-year Las Vegas coach turned the group’s stretching interval right into a wrestling match when he snuck up on 6-foot-6, 328-pound offensive lineman Thayer Munford Jr.
“I pinned him,” Carroll mentioned.
Pete Carroll tried pinning down @Raiders OT Thayer Munford 😭
(through @nickwalt) pic.twitter.com/Qh9FP28AqB
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2025
He later tried claiming one other sufferer: 284-pound defensive deal with Tonka Hemingway. Nevertheless, the rookie refused to budge towards Carroll’s model of “the Folks’s Elbow.”
The 73-year-old did not cease there. He threw the soccer round throughout particular groups drills and would often race the defensive backs to 1 nook of the sphere earlier than the beginning of the person interval.
Every day served as a reminder that he didn’t have to match his gamers’ power and energy — they needed to match his. A 12 months away from soccer did nothing to gradual him down. Neither did the blazing warmth the group practiced below, a 106-degree common throughout minicamp.
“It is bought to be some sort of drug on the market or one thing,” huge receiver Jakobi Meyers mentioned. “He is bought numerous power, man.”
Carroll was employed in February to do extra than simply assist Las Vegas develop into a profitable membership. Another excuse behind his return to teaching after 14 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks was to instill a tradition that Las Vegas may keep it up for years to return.
Practically six months into his tenure, Carroll’s affect within the constructing is palpable. On days they should report in, gamers say they’re excited to stand up at 5 a.m. and get to the ability. They’re even utilizing Carroll’s favourite time period — “compete” — any likelihood they get.
“You’ll be able to’t have an ideal group with out nice teammates,” Carroll mentioned. “There’s an entire constructing course of to getting that carried out, and a part of that’s collaborating in no matter we ask them to do, as wild as it could be or nuts as they could assume it’s.”
In fact, spirited teaching does not assure prompt wins. However his method has breathed new life into a corporation in want of an enormous turnaround.
“We are attempting to ascertain a approach to do issues round right here,” normal supervisor John Spytek mentioned.
“We are attempting to ascertain what it means to be a Raider.”
DARIEN PORTER HAD a “pinch-me second” at rookie minicamp in early Could.
Rising up, he was a fan of Carroll’s USC groups that featured Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart. And whereas the third-round cornerback participated in particular person drills with the remainder of the defensive backs, Carroll — whom Porter knew from his TV display rising up — was proper within the center together with his soccer gloves on, backpedaling and offering press protection tricks to the defensive backs.
“He is on the market engaged on his press. It is humorous, however I actually recognize it,” mentioned Porter, who spent six seasons at Iowa State.
“He is my head coach within the NFL, and I grew up watching USC, so it is simply loopy.”
A key element to the gamers shopping for into Carroll’s philosophies early has been the respect that they had for the coach earlier than he donned the Silver and Black.
From main USC to 4 Rose Bowl victories and two nationwide titles to profitable a Tremendous Bowl with Seattle and quarterback Russell Wilson, Carroll’s observe file of success has many gamers starstruck by his presence.
The phrases “legend” or “legendary” have been ceaselessly used to explain their head coach.
“To have the ability to play for him, that is simply one other dream come true,” Raiders rookie huge receiver Jack Bech mentioned.
When Carroll speaks, they absorb each phrase, particularly the defensive backs who admire Carroll’s work with the Legion of Increase.
Beginning security Isaiah Pola-Mao mentioned it has been a special expertise with Carroll as a result of he has by no means had a head coach as hands-on with the defensive backs.
“However I adore it,” Pola-Mao mentioned. “Pete’s legendary. Studying from him, he is aware of what it is imagined to appear to be. I am simply studying, listening and attempting to take all of it in.”
THE RAIDERS’ PRACTICE antics reached new heights on the ultimate day of minicamp.
After the group stretched, a member of the tools employees was inside an inflatable ball, zorbing forwards and backwards whereas gamers zigzagged and high-stepped between obstacles.
It is getting ROWDY in Vegas 🤣#Raiders defensive assistant Rip Rowan ripped off his shirt and introduced the power to start out apply at Day 2 of minicamp. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/sxhwds280O
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) June 11, 2025
Carroll has employed inventive strategies to ignite the gamers’ aggressive spirit. Beginning middle Jackson Powers-Johnson mentioned the group has had subject purpose kicking competitions, has performed cornhole and has basketball courts across the facility, permitting Carroll to point out off his leap shot in entrance of gamers.
The plastic bubble, nevertheless, wasn’t deliberate, Carroll mentioned.
Rollin’ with the homies 😎 pic.twitter.com/E71vGS8el7
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) June 12, 2025
“We’re having probably the most enjoyable time in soccer that we have ever had, and that begins with him,” Powers-Johnson mentioned. “… He does not have a nasty day. And it is infectious power that is been placed on us.”
For All-Professional punter AJ Cole, the change of tempo may’ve been wanted. Cole mentioned the franchise has seen some darkish moments over the previous few years.
Since Cole joined the group in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, the Raiders have compiled a regular-season file of 43-57, made one playoff look and cycled by means of 4 head coaches (Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce and Carroll).
“It has been tough. We have misplaced numerous video games, greater than we should always have,” Cole mentioned.
However Carroll has made Cole optimistic concerning the future. That was one of many causes he signed a four-year, $15.8 million contract extension to stay in Las Vegas.
“To be utterly trustworthy with you, I have not been this excited to return to work in a extremely very long time,” Cole mentioned.
Star defensive finish Maxx Crosby, who has been a Raider since he was drafted in 2019, described the 2024 season as “one of many hardest years” in his life. He by no means felt like himself after sustaining an ankle harm within the Raiders’ win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. Ultimately, Crosby underwent season-ending ankle surgical procedure, forcing him to overlook the ultimate 4 video games.
The Raiders completed 4-13 — marking the second time in three years with double-digit losses — and Crosby, as soon as once more, watched one other coach (Pierce) get handed a pink slip.
From the second he attended Carroll’s introductory information convention in February, Crosby has not allowed himself to dwell on the franchise’s previous failures. Throughout the offseason, he mentioned, he wakened each morning on the break of day, enthusiastic to assault the day. Crosby mentioned the power throughout the constructing has been a supply of gas. He even admired how Carroll pushed him and the remainder of the group to be one of the best model of themselves.
“He is true to that. It is not pretend power,” Crosby mentioned. “And it isn’t simply him, it is the assistant coaches, the entire constructing. It simply feels totally different.
” … Pete creates that tradition the place everybody is aware of it is exhausting. You are going to work your ass off, however you have bought an entire group and a corporation of individuals that every one bought to be on the identical wavelength and go in the identical path. That is one of many hardest issues you could possibly do.”
JOHN GLENN IS all too aware of Carroll’s methods of growing group tradition. Earlier than Glenn joined the Raiders’ employees as a linebackers coach this offseason, he spent 12 seasons in a number of roles on Carroll’s Seahawks employees.
Exterior of Carroll’s zealous character, Glenn — who spent final season because the assistant particular groups coach for the Washington Commanders — mentioned the San Francisco native finds a approach to relate to anybody he comes throughout.
“He is an unimaginable human … simply the best way he is capable of join with the coordinators to the place coach to the [quality control coach],” Glenn mentioned. “It is by no means been, ‘Oh my gosh, it is the top coach. Do not discuss to him.’ He is at all times partaking [and] has time for you.”
Glenn added that Carroll’s philosophy about competitors transcends the soccer subject. Carroll is requiring his employees to compete not simply within the sport however in all features of their lives.
Raiders beginning left deal with Kolton Miller has watched Carroll push the coaches simply as exhausting because the gamers. Miller believes that is what units Carroll aside from the remainder.
“That is what he excels in,” Miller mentioned.
“Am I competing to be a very good husband? Am I competing to be a very good father? Am I competing to be a very good citizen locally? All of it transcends,” Glenn added. “If you really purchase into it, that is the key sauce.”
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham mentioned being round Carroll has been useful for his development as a coach. Graham, coming into his fourth season with the Raiders, has been proud of the chance to debate totally different concepts with Carroll.
Graham has even been a sponge at any time when he watches Carroll instruct the defensive backs.
“I imply, why would not you pay attention?” Graham mentioned. “… We’re watching a grasp trainer working. That is useful for us.”
When the Raiders wrapped up their offseason program and entered a monthlong break forward of coaching camp, it appeared evident that Carroll had the group totally invested within the tradition he is attempting to foster.
Certain, on paper, the Raiders are maybe miles away from their AFC West counterparts. There are a handful of questions surrounding the expertise on the roster, which will not be answered till the season begins.
However Carroll has this group believing the problems which have plagued this franchise are within the rearview mirror.
“[Carroll] believes if in case you have a crystal-clear imaginative and prescient of what you need to get achieved, and you may get a bunch of individuals to do the identical factor, then good issues are going to occur,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly mentioned. “He is bought this group believing.”