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For the fourth time since 2022, the Las Vegas Raiders are looking for a new head coach.
But this time, they’re getting help from an NFL legend.
Raiders minority owner Tom Brady will work alongside general manager John Spytek to find the franchise’s next coach after Pete Carroll was fired after just one season in Las Vegas.
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Tom Brady watches from the sidelines before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on September 21, 2025 in Chicago. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“Moving forward, general manager John Spytek will lead all football operations working closely with Tom Brady, including the search for the club’s next head coach,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement Monday.
There was optimism when Carroll came out of retirement to join the Raiders after Antonio Pierce was fired last year. Carroll has Super Bowl pedigree and the Raiders have made moves, including bringing in veteran Geno Smith at quarterback.
But the season proved disastrous for the Raiders, going 3-14 to tie the league’s worst record after 18 weeks.
RAIDERS FIRE LONG-TIME NFL HEAD COACH PETE CARROLL AFTER ONE SEASON
One caveat: While the New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys to improve to 4-13 in Week 18, the Raiders own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This is a potentially franchise-altering pick, and all signs point to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza being the pick for a team in need like the Raiders.
But first, the Raiders need to make sure the team is headed in the right direction, which makes head coach recruiting critical.
“Together, they will guide football decisions with a focus on leadership, culture and alignment with the organization’s long-term vision and goals,” Davis’ statement concluded.
Mark Davis (left), owner and managing partner of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Tom Brady, owner of the Las Vegas Aces, attend Game 1 of the 2023 WNBA Playoff Finals between the Aces and the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 8, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Aces beat the Liberty, 99-82. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Brady and Spytek have a history with each other before the latter was hired by the Raiders last year. They were together briefly in Ann Arbor as teammates on the Michigan Wolverines, but more importantly, Spytek was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Brady was in the organization toward the end of his career.
They will be in the running with other teams looking for a new head coach this offseason, including the Giants, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals. The Falcons, Browns and Cardinals all fired their head coaches on what is considered “Black Monday” – the day after the final week of the NFL regular season.
The Raiders made a Brady connection in January 2022 when they hired Josh McDaniels as their next head coach after he rose to fame with the New England Patriots as their offensive coordinator. McDaniels, however, was fired midway through the 2023 campaign, leaving room for an interim role for Pierce.
Pierce was eventually hired during the offseason, taking on the role full-time in hopes that the Raiders would continue to embrace his advanced coaching style highlighted by aggressive play.
Tom Brady looks on from the field during warmups before an NFL football game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 26, 2025 in Philadelphia. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
But Pierce ultimately didn’t work out, as Las Vegas relieved him of his duties before hiring Carroll.
Of course, the Raiders want to stop this trend with their leader on the field, and it will be up to Brady and Spytek to recruit well this time around.
