Raiders coach Pete Carroll 'thrilled' to work with GM John Spytek - ESPN

HENDERSON, Nev. — The first time Pete Carroll and John Spytek crossed paths?

Super Bowl XLVIII, in 2014.

«I was working for the Broncos,» Spytek said, referencing Carroll then being head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. «And we got our faces caved in. I told him, when we first talked, I was still sore from that.»

There will be plenty more time for talking — and healing — now that Spytek and Carroll have joined forces with the Las Vegas Raiders. Spytek, 44, is a first-time general manager and Carroll, 73, is the Raiders' fifth coach, counting interims, since 2021.

Spytek and Carroll were introduced Monday in a news conference at the team facility attended by current players such as defensive end Maxx Crosby and left tackle Kolton Miller, and former Seahawks and Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, who led a hearty «Raiders!» chant in the middle of the presser.

«Oh, man, I think it's a perfect mesh opportunity for us to show you how important it is for this relationship to be at the tip of the spear for our program,» Carroll said of working with a new GM in Spytek.

«His background, his mentality, his devotion to character and football and the game [show] a respect for what it takes to make this thing strong, right? It has just hit me right in my heart, so I'm thrilled about sharing the years and the experience with the energy and the juice that he brings, and so it's going to work out great.»

Carroll, the winningest coach in Seahawks history at 137-89-1 over 14 seasons — along with that 43-8 drubbing of Denver in the Super Bowl — also won a pair of national championships at USC.

Spytek, most recently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' assistant general manager, began his NFL career as an operations intern with the Detroit Lions in