Pete Carroll’s first game back in Seattle since stepping down as Seahawks head coach ended in a 23-23 tie Thursday night, after a blocked last-second field goal by the Seahawks prevented his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders, from pulling out a win.
Carroll, now 73 and coaching his first preseason game for the Raiders, was greeted with warm energy at Lumen Field, where he led the Seahawks for 14 years and brought home the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.
But a dramatic finish denied him a win in his return.
Daniel Carlson had a chance to seal the game with a 55-yard attempt as time expired, but Jalan Gaines blocked the kick.
It was Carlson’s second miss from that distance on the night, after hitting from 56 and 51 yards earlier in the game.
“We started really poorly,” Carroll said. “We didn’t run the ball well in the first half, we didn’t really do anything very well. But we stayed close... and it was a marvelous second half.”
The Raiders tied the game in the final minute of regulation on Carlson’s 51-yard field goal, capping a second-half comeback after trailing by as much as 10 points.
Geno Smith, Seattle’s former starting quarterback, opened the game for the Raiders. Smith, now starting in Las Vegas, completed one of three passes for 15 yards before giving way to second-year quarterback Aiden O’Connell, who threw for 205 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Raiders rookie quarterback Cam Miller, a former North Dakota State standout, made a late appearance and delivered a highlight—a 41-yard touchdown strike to Shedrick Jackson.
The Seahawks sat many of their starters, including quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Kenneth Walker III, and receivers Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said he was encouraged by what he saw from the players who did take the field.
“You never want to tie a football game,” Macdonald said. “That kinda stinks, but there was a lot of great stuff on both sides of the ball.”
Drew Lock played the first half under center for Seattle, finishing 12 of 22 for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe entered in the second half, going 6 of 10 for 61 yards in his NFL debut.
“What a dream come true to play my first NFL game,” Milroe said. “It was just awesome being on the field for the first time in the stadium.”
Seattle’s scoring began with a 24-yard touchdown run by rookie George Holani in the closing seconds of the first quarter.
Lock connected with Tory Horton on a 10-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
The Seahawks added another score in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by undrafted rookie Jacardia Wright.
Seattle’s defense made some key plays in the second quarter, including two interceptions off O’Connell.
Josh Jobe returned his pick 38 yards, and Nehemiah Pritchett’s interception led to a 48-yard field goal by Jason Myers.
Off the field, former Seahawks and Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch roamed the sidelines in a different role—as a credentialed photographer.
Lynch even found himself in the middle of the action briefly, when Holani brushed past him after a touchdown run.
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