Tom Brady’s first full season as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders is off to a wild start. And after a long coaching search, the team landed a legend—Pete Carroll. Fresh off a rough 4-13 season, Carroll is stepping in to flip the script. And if history tells us anything, he knows how to win. He led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory over the Denver Broncos and made another appearance against the New England Patriots. Before that? A National Championship with USC. Carroll has conquered every level—now it’s time to bring that winning magic to Las Vegas.

As of now, Carroll isn’t just bringing experience to Las Vegas—he’s bringing connections. With a new job and a fresh start, the temptation is there for old colleagues to reunite for another run. And one key name has already joined him—Matt Capurro. Carroll’s right-hand man from his USC days has made the jump from Seattle to the Raiders. With familiar faces by his side, Carroll is building something in Vegas—and the pieces are falling into place.

Best known as the Seahawks’ VP of Coaching Operations, Capurro spent 15 years shaping the team under Carroll starting in 2010. So, Carroll and Capurro have a long history together! However, Capurro is an NFL veteran with a stacked resume. But before Seattle, he had roots in Oakland. From 2003 to 2008, he worked with the Raiders, even serving as the HC’s assistant. That means he also had the rare chance to learn from the legendary Al Davis. Now, with Carroll in Las Vegas, Capurro’s experience and connections could be game-changers for the Raiders’ future.

But it’s not just the NFL—Capurro has deep ties in the NCAA, especially with Lane Kiffin. Both have the Silver and Black running through their veins. So, when Capurro reunited with Carroll, Kiffin, head coach of Ole Miss, couldn’t resist dropping a 4-word reaction to his former Raiders colleagues. And Kiffin wrote on X, “The man is back!!! @Raiders”

So, the connection is clear. Kiffin was the Raiders’ HC from 2007 to 2008, while Capurro started as a football operations intern and worked his way up to assistant to the HC from 2004 to 2008. Their Raider roots? Strong and unbreakable. As of now, the Bay Area native is occupied with the new duties that Carroll has assigned him. But here’s the real twist—the Raiders’ head coach has a connection with Lane Kiffin too. Talk about a web of ties! Their paths have crossed in the NFL, adding another layer to the already intriguing coaching story.

Lane Kiffin’s link to Pete Carroll

Pete Carroll and Lane Kiffin share a tight bond, built over years of collaboration. Kiffin, once Carroll’s assistant at USC, learned from the best. Looking back, he said, “Pete Carroll creates an atmosphere of ‘want to’ versus ‘have to’.” Their connection goes beyond college football—they both made waves in the NFL, with Kiffin coaching the Raiders and Carroll leading the Seahawks. From USC to the NFL, these two have always had each other’s backs. But here comes a twist.

Pete Carroll and Nick Saban both wrapped up their coaching careers (Seahawks and Alabama respectively) on the same day! Having won national titles under both, Lane Kiffin didn’t hesitate to call them the two greatest of all time. From 2002 to 2006, Kiffin was right by Carroll’s side at USC, learning from a master. Then, at Alabama from 2014 to 2016, he added more titles to his resume before becoming the head coach at Florida Atlantic. So, from USC to Alabama, Kiffin has soaked up greatness, and it shows.

And following that, the HC wrote, “So honored and blessed to have learned from them and won national championships with both. Thanks for taking a chance on me and being amazing mentors to me. Appreciate you both more than you will ever know.”

But Kiffin isn’t the only one with deep connections to the Raiders. The team’s current HC is bringing in some familiar faces, too. Carroll is making his mark, keeping several of Antonio Pierce’s coaches on staff. Rob Leonard stays as DL coach, Tom McMahon keeps his spot as special teams coordinator for the Vegas Knights, and Patrick Graham will continue as DC—despite a strong interview with Karl Scott, the Seahawks’ secondary coach. Old connections, new momentum—it’s shaping up to be an exciting time for the Raiders. Let’s see what transpires this year with the Raiders.