The winningest coach in the 50-year history of the Seattle Seahawks is now coaching the Las Vegas Raiders. The Seahawks have not won a playoff game since 2019, and have appeared in the postseason only once in the last four seasons, missing again in 2024 despite a 10-7 record. Now, despite denials by current Seattle coach Mike McDonald, the franchise may lose its quarterback, Geno Smith, to the Raiders under new coach Pete Carroll — the man who won 137 regular season games in 14 seasons in Seattle, more than any other coach.
Carroll also recorded a 10-9 playoff record with the Seahawks, taking the franchise to its only two Super Bowls and lone championship, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl 48. He will attempt to resurrect the Raiders fortunes now, as well. That once-proud franchise finished at 4-13 in 2024, the Raiders worst record since 1962 when they went 1-13 as the Oakland Raiders in third year of the original American Football League, eight years before that league merged with the NFL.
The Raiders have not won a Super Bowl since 1983, when they were located in Los Angeles.
To take the Raiders back there, however, Carroll lacks one important element, a quarterback. According to writer Levi Damien of USA Today Raiderswire, the Raiders’ gain could turn out to be the Seahawks’ loss.
Carroll May Target Geno Smith as Raiders QB
“The last time Pete Carroll was on an NFL sideline as a head coach, his starting quarterback was Geno Smith. The Seahawks went 17-16 over Carroll’s last two seasons in Seattle with Smith making two Pro Bowls,” Damien wrote on Saturday. “So, naturally when considering who Carroll might want behind center in Las Vegas, Smith would be at or near the top of that list.”
Seattle caoch McDonald has publicly stated that he believes, “we can win a championship with Geno Smith. We really believe that and can’t wait to get back to work with him.”
But what if they don’t? And with Smith turning 35 during Week Six of the 2025 season and playing the final year of a three-season, $75 million contract — with a cap hit of $44.5 million — the Seahawks realistically will be planning for the future at the all-important position.
According to NBC Sports Boston NFL insider journalist Phil Perry, that futire could come in the form of current New England Patriots backup quarterback Joe Milton III.
In fact, Perry speculates that Seattle wide receiver D.K. Metcalf could come to New England as a return in a potential trade for Milton.
“If you figure Joe Milton could potentially yield a third-rounder in a trade, and if you figure a realistic return for DK Metcalf would be a second-rounder, then that adds up. Plus, Geno Smith is 34 years old and headed into a contract year,” Perry wrote. “Just hard to know how the Seahawks feel about Milton, and if they’d be willing to part with Metcalf (even if they don’t plan on re-signing him) in what looks like will be a wide-open NFC West.”
Milton is in the second year of a four-year, $4.2 million rookie contract.
Former Seattle Receiver Sees Milton as Trade Possibility
Michael Bumpus, a former Seahawks wide receiver and now radio commentator, also sees Milton as a possible trade target for the Seahawks — after watching Miltons impressive performance for the Patriots in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills.
“That one game did intrigue me and get me interested,” Bumpus said on a recent broadcast. “I remember watching the highlights on SportsCenter thinking, ‘Man, my dude looks good.’ Now after going and watching the All-22 [tape], he does look good. He looks like a project. I mean, you’re drafted in the sixth round for a reason. It doesn’t mean you can’t be something great. We’ve seen that one happen before.”
Of course, Bumpus was referring to Hall of Fame Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was drafted in the sixth round, 199th overall, in 2000.
