The Pete Carroll experiment in Las Vegas isn’t just off to a rocky start - it’s teetering on the edge of unraveling. And this week, one of Carroll’s former players, Robert Turbin, pulled back the curtain on what he believes is fueling the dysfunction behind the scenes with the Raiders.
Turbin, a longtime Seahawks running back who knows Carroll’s style and system inside and out, joined Raider Nation Radio on Monday and didn’t mince words. His take? The issue isn’t just about talent on the field - it’s about disconnection off it.
“I knew from the beginning, the one question mark I had was, ‘Okay, you’re bringing in Chip Kelly as your offensive coordinator. I don’t even think these guys like each other,’” Turbin said during his appearance on Unnecessary Roughness with Q Myers.
That pairing raised eyebrows from the jump. Carroll and Kelly, two coaches with strong - and very different - philosophies, were never a natural fit.
Turbin suggested the move may have been Carroll trying to evolve, to adapt to the changing NFL landscape. But instead of synergy, it’s been static.
“Maybe Pete’s broadening his horizon, trying new things to keep up with the Joneses in terms of new schemes,” Turbin said. “But it turns out that rivals remain rivals, and it just doesn’t work.”
That disconnect, Turbin argued, has bled into every layer of the organization - from the play-calling to the personnel decisions. And without unity behind the scenes, it’s no surprise the product on the field has been inconsistent, at best.
“You could have great personnel,” Turbin said, “but if the folks behind the scenes - the guys calling plays, putting together the game plan, handling the draft and free agency - if those people aren’t connected, then you’re not going to have any type of success on the field anyway.”
It’s not just the Carroll-Kelly dynamic that’s raising concerns. Turbin also pointed to Tom Brady’s role in the Raiders’ front office as a potential source of friction. Since becoming a minority owner, Brady’s influence has reportedly grown - and Turbin questioned whether that’s helping or hurting the franchise.
“Pete Carroll is not going to be able to have success if he doesn’t have more autonomy,” Turbin said. “Tom is the greatest quarterback of all time, but he’s never had to succeed from the seat he’s sitting in now.”
That seat - part-owner with rumored input on personnel decisions - comes with a different kind of pressure. Turbin didn’t claim Brady is calling all the shots, but he did raise eyebrows about some of the choices that have been made: hiring Kelly, passing on quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the draft - moves that don’t seem to align with Carroll’s usual approach.
“If the Raiders want to have success,” Turbin said, “they’re going to have to give a little more time to Pete Carroll and let him do his thing.”
That’s easier said than done in a league where patience is in short supply. And according to The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen, the situation in Vegas might be worse than it appears on the surface.
Speaking on the Just Win podcast, Nguyen echoed Turbin’s concerns and hinted at deeper dysfunction inside the building.
“Maybe it was a Tom Brady hire, and it was forced upon Pete,” Nguyen said, referring to the Kelly decision. “But again, just dysfunction. The ideas and philosophies not lining up - it’s what we’ve seen from the Raiders in the past.”
Nguyen didn’t go into full detail, but his words carried weight: “It’s as bad as it’s ever been. And I don’t know if Pete’s going to last after this year.”
That’s a stunning statement, especially considering Carroll’s pedigree. We’re talking about a Super Bowl-winning coach, a proven culture-builder. But even the best coaches need alignment from the top down - and right now, the Raiders seem to be operating with crossed wires.
“I’ve never seen that before,” Nguyen added, “where you bring in an offensive coordinator and don’t allow him to run his offense.”
It’s a troubling sign in what was supposed to be a new era for the Raiders. Instead of cohesion, there’s confusion.
Instead of progress, there’s paralysis. And unless something changes - fast - the Carroll era in Las Vegas might end before it ever really begins.