There aren’t many coaching rivalries that get talked about as much as the one between Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh. The two have had many intense battles going back to when they were coaching in college.
They haven’t coached against each other in several years, but that’s going to change on Monday when Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders will host Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. Ahead of the game, Harbaugh mentioned that he thinks Carroll would’ve been a good teammate, but they don’t send each other Christmas cards every year.
Carroll had a chance to respond and spoke about the coach.
“He’s seen my game, and so he’d like me to help him win,” Carroll said when asked about Harbaugh’s teammate comment. “One thing we would certainly see eye to eye on is about competing. He’s always been a great competitor. He’s battled through so much in his playing days and his coaching days, as well. I appreciate him saying that, because I’d like to play with him, too.”
Carroll was then asked about the Christmas card comments.
“I’m surprised he would say that because he sends me a birthday card every year,” Carroll said.
Who Has The Edge in First Rematch?
Carroll and Harbaugh are both older coaches, so it remains to be seen how much longer they’ll be coaching in the NFL. For now, the two will be facing off against each other twice a year going forward.
Heading into Week 2, both teams are 1-0. However, the Chargers’ Week 1 win was over the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs, while the Raiders beat a New England Patriots team that won four games last year.
On paper, the Chargers have the better roster. They were in the playoffs last season, and Harbaugh has had more time to establish his culture. The Chargers definitely have the advantage on defense, but the Raiders might have the advantage on offense.
While Justin Herbert is a better quarterback than Geno Smith, the Raiders have Brock Bowers, who is the best weapon on either team. Running back Ashton Jeanty hasn’t broken out yet, but he’s a better prospect than Chargers rookie Omarion Hampton. Neither team is great at wide receiver, but the Raiders do have Jakobi Meyers, who is arguably the best wide receiver for either team.
The Chargers are the favorite to win, but they can’t count the Raiders out yet.
Carroll 5-1 in Last 6 Games Against Harbaugh
Harbaugh dominated the early days of his rivalry with Carroll. There was a point where he was 5-1 against Carroll between the NFL and college. However, Carroll has dominated the recent matchups.
He has gone 5-1 in his last six games against the coach, including the playoffs. The two are 6-6 against each other, counting college, NFL and playoffs.
Whoever wins on Monday will have the advantage in the record. At this point in their careers, it’s hard to imagine they still get that worked up by each other. They have done a lot of coaching over the years. That said, it’s a great story that Carroll came back to the AFC West and will be facing his biggest rival twice a year again.
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