NFL scouts and executives arrived in Indianapolis on Monday for the annual Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Among them was Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, whose flight from Seattle was quickly noted on social media, with even details like his seat location making the rounds online.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn, Carroll sat in coach, sparking criticism—not toward him, but toward the Raiders—for not booking their head coach a first-class seat.
“Raiders being cheap. Shocked,” tweeted Dallas Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill Jr.
“Pete deserves better,” another user added.
Carroll is set for his first major public appearance since becoming the Las Vegas Raiders head coach at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. However, he seemingly had an important meeting before even landing.
Cohn also took a jab at Carroll’s new team, remarking in a video about his flight to Indianapolis, “Apparently the Raiders don’t quite have the funds to send him first class like the Seahawks do with their personnel.”
Instant reaction to my flight to Indianapolis. pic.twitter.com/RyvrZjKp9I
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) February 24, 2025
Pete Carroll spending time with Seattle Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald and John Schneider
According to Cohn, Carroll spent an hour in first class speaking with Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider.
Carroll spent an hour in first class chatting with Macdonald and Schneider, standing in the walkway so long that flight attendants eventually asked him to return to his seat.
On the surface, it seems unremarkable—Carroll spent over a decade working with Schneider in Seattle and served as an advisor last season, making it likely he has a connection with Macdonald.
Given the long flight from the West Coast to Indianapolis, they may have just been passing the time. It’s unlikely they’d discuss business in front of a plane full of passengers, but that didn’t stop speculation that Carroll was exploring a potential Geno Smith trade with the Seahawks’ front office.
Carroll may have some interest in bringing Smith to Las Vegas, but a trade discussion on the plane seems unlikely. Raiders general manager John Spytek wasn’t present, and the Seahawks might not be looking to publicly shop Smith.
Pete Carroll led USC to two national championships (2001-2009) before coaching the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2023, winning Super Bowl XLVIII along the way.
The NFL Scouting Combine marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Las Vegas Raiders. As teams gather in Indianapolis to evaluate prospects, the Raiders, holding the No. 6 overall pick, stand out as a team to watch under the leadership of new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll.
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