The Raiders’ wayward season doesn’t fall entirely on Smith’s shoulders, of course. Other issues have compounded to result in ineffectiveness across the board.
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, selected No. 6 overall, delivered a small handful of monster games that proved himself worthy of such a high pick. However, those Herculean spurts mostly made a disappointing debut season more maddening, as he was sometimes deployed too sparingly and almost always found it tough sledding behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
Though he turned things on late with four TDs over his final three games, tight end Brock Bowers had minimal help in the pass-catching department. He spent the early portion of the season banged up with a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve with two games remaining as Las Vegas narrowed in on landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. So, too, was pass rusher Maxx Crosby, despite playing 100% of defensive snaps across his last five starts. Jakobi Meyers, the team’s WR1 entering the season, was traded to the Jaguars at the deadline, played a role in unlocking another level of Jacksonville’s offense and signed a three-year extension to stay in Duval.
While the defense has performed marginally better, placing near league average in passing yards and rushing yards surrendered, there’s a void of big names outside Crosby, a deficit further highlighted in the months after the Raiders released defensive tackle Christian Wilkins toward the end of July.
There’s been a ton of work required to try to get things right, but Carroll has long specialized in turning organizations around.
It’s part of the reason he made sense as head coach of the Raiders, who prior to hiring him had experienced just two playoff trips in the 22 seasons since losing Super Bowl XXXVII.
However, with Las Vegas’ foundation featuring a dearth of true difference makers, the scope of the rebuild ahead is daunting — even with the first overall pick in the ’26 draft. Perhaps the timeline to competing for division titles doesn’t entirely align with Carroll, already the oldest head coach in NFL history, leading the way.
If he does not go on to wear the headset elsewhere, his NFL head-coaching career will end much the same way it began.
At the age of 43, he was fired after his first season with the Jets following a 6-10 finish. Now, at the age of 74, he’s been fired after his first season with the Raiders following a 3-14 campaign.
The Raiders, meanwhile, must work on hiring yet another head coach after their three most recent staffs have each lasted less than two full seasons.
