Updated Jan. 13, 2026, 12:58 p.m. PT
Competition. It’s something former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll preached all the time. Now it’s something the Raiders are faced with in replacing Carroll. They fired the 74-year-old after just one season in Las Vegas and jumped into what is turning into an ever-widening pool of teams all clamoring to get their hands on the top candidates.
There were already competing with seven other teams for a new head coach. And now the Steelers just joined the party with longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down.
Prior to Tomlin, it was fellow longtime AFC North coach John Harbaugh being fired. But at least with Harbaugh, it’s not a net change because Harbaugh figures to just slide over and fill one of the other openings.
But Tomlin wasn’t fired. He stepped down, which means the Steelers still have rights to his contract. The expectations are that Tomlin will look to take a year off from coaching and then perhaps join a team next year.
So, this news just means another opening and for a respected organization with a team that just made the playoffs. Making it potential top landing spot for any head coach candidate. Which means it’s possible they could swoop in a take someone the Raiders may have been eyeing.
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