Week 18 went about as well as it could’ve for the Las Vegas Raiders. Prior to playing the Kansas City Chiefs, the team secured the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft thanks to the New York Giants winning.
That meant the stakes for the Chiefs game were low, but the Raiders were able to end the season on a high note. It was a back-and-forth game, but Las Vegas pulled off the win on a game-winning 60-yard field goal.
With the season officially over, all eyes are on Pete Carroll, as his future as head coach has come into question. There was some talk that he could retire rather than get fired, but it sounds like he’s leaving the decision up to the Raiders.
During his postgame press conference, Carroll made it clear that he’d like to come back and coach next season. He was asked if he could consider retirement in a follow-up question, but said that it is not something he is going to do.
It sounds like if the Raiders don’t want to bring Carroll back in 2026, they’re going to have to make the decision to fire him. That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering Carroll remains as competitive as ever, even at 74 years old.
What Will Raiders Do?
Now that it’s clear that Carroll won’t make things easy for the Raiders and walk away on his own, they’re going to have to make a decision. The team did finish the season with a win, but they were barely able to beat a hobbled Chiefs team that is also drafting in the top 10.
The Week 18 win shouldn’t factor into the Raiders’ decision-making on Carroll. Many reports have come out saying that the team is leaning toward moving on, but anything can happen.
At this point, it would be a surprise if they decided to keep the veteran coach. The Raiders need a rebuild, and Carroll is already the oldest coach in the NFL. It makes a lot more sense for Las Vegas to embrace a younger coach who will be a lot more patient with a rebuild.
Things Looking up for Raiders
It was a miserable season for the Raiders. Seemingly, nothing went right. Even star rookie running back Ashton Jeanty couldn’t make much happen.
However, things are finally starting to look up. Ending the season with a win is always good for morale, and the fact that they still get the No. 1 pick makes it even better.
The Raiders are now in a prime position to add their quarterback of the future, which will likely be Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. It remains to be seen if he can truly be a franchise-saving quarterback, but there’s a lot of hype around him.
The Raiders have needed a franchise quarterback for a long time, and if Mendoza is that guy, that immediately makes them a lot better. The coaching decision will be massive, but Las Vegas can rest easy knowing that they now own one of the most valuable assets an NFL team can have.
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