The Las Vegas Raiders appear to want Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. The concern for them is that other teams may want the young coach.
Johnson could wind up picking the Chicago Bears or the Jacksonville Jaguars, dealing a significant blow to the Raiders. They may, however, be prepared for such a possibility. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Las Vegas’ backup plan involves Pete Carroll, the former Seattle Seahawks head coach.
“If Johnson turns the Raiders down, they have alternatives,” Reed wrote in a Jan. 19 editorial. “Along with Carroll, Saleh, Rivera, Glenn, and Johnson, they’ve also interviewed Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. They’ve also asked for an interview with Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, but it hasn’t happened yet.
“According to league sources, Carroll, who also interviewed with the Bears, is considered the Raiders’ backup head coach. He has been an NFL head coach three times, with the Jets (1994), New England Patriots (1997-1999), and Seattle Seahawks (2010-2023), as well as the head coach at USC from 2001 to 2009.
Carroll will be 74 years old for the 2025 regular season, making him the NFL’s oldest head coach, although he remains remarkably energetic for his age. Carroll has never lost more than ten games in a season and has only missed the playoffs four times throughout his 14 seasons with Seattle. Johnson is more exciting because of his youth and offensive experience, but Carroll has demonstrated the ability to establish a winning team and keep it that way for a long period.
Raiders may pivot at GM if Ben Johnson goes elsewhere.
Johnson’s choice will have significant implications for the Raiders. He may not only choose their future head coach, but also the next general manager.
Lance Newmark, assistant general manager of the Washington Commanders, will be in Las Vegas to interview for the position of general manager. He spent more than 20 years with the Lions and is close to Johnson.
If the coach leaves or stays in Detroit, the Raiders are unlikely to consider Newmark for the general manager position, according to Reed.
“The Raiders would likely turn to a different GM candidate if they hired Carroll, according to league sources,” Reed said. “In addition to Newmark, Brown, and Alexander, the Raiders conducted virtual interviews with Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek, Pittsburgh Steelers director of pro personnel Sheldon White, and Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan.” The Raiders have choices for pivoting if the pairing of Newmark and Johnson does not work out.”
Could Carroll be a better fit than Johnson?
Many Raiders supporters are delighted about the addition of Johnson, but he is only 38 years old and has never been a head coach at any level. It’s tough to say for sure whether he has the ability to lead a full team rather than simply the offence.
Carroll is not a long-term solution, but he is a proven winner who can establish a culture. There’s an argument to be made that he’s exactly what the Raiders need right now. However, assembling a young team around a 73-year-old coach appears to be a quick fix for a long-term problem. The Raiders could do worse than Carroll, but Johnson makes more sense given where the franchise is right now.
Leave a Reply