NFL

Raiders hire Pete Carroll as head coach

After missing on Ben Johnson, the Raiders are pivoting to a short-term play. Carroll, 73, brings credibility and a winning mindset to Las Vegas, even if he probably won’t coach much longer. It’s an interesting choice, as adding veteran starting quarterback is now on the table for the franchise.

Carroll was unceremoniously pushed out after the 2023 season by the Seahawks, a questionable move given that the 2024 team also missed the playoffs. His job in Las Vegas won’t be any easier, but the expectations — at least in Year 1 — will be. The obvious next step for the Raiders is to find their next starting quarterback.

Grade: C+

Texans fire offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik

Following Houston’s breakthrough 2023 season, Slowik was viewed as a rising star in the coaching ranks. The 37-year-old, after all, piloted the Texans offense, turning it from abysmal to exciting. Of course, substantial credit for that turnaround should go to C.J. Stroud, but there’s an argument to be made that Slowik expedited the 2023 No. 2 overall pick’s transition to the NFL.

This season wasn’t by any means bad for Houston. The franchise again finished 10-7 with a playoff victory, but there was no progress. That word, progress, is vitally important to NFL decision makers, and as Stroud and the Texans offense regressed, Slowik had to pay. It’s an unfair business, and it’s unfair to expect Houston to find a better offensive coordinator than Slowik.

Grade: D