Koonce ‘extremely excited’ to play for Carroll and be back with Raiders

Defensive end spoke to the media for the first time since missing last season with a torn ACL

At this time last year, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce was coming off a breakout season and gearing up for a contract year in the hopes of earning a massive payday that quality pass rushers in the NFL receive.

Koonce famously finished the 2023 campaign with eight sacks in the Raiders’ final nine games. That was supposed to be a momentum builder heading into his pivotal fourth year, until a torn ACL at the end of training camp served as an anti-climatic end to his season.

“[Missing last season] was extremely frustrating,” Koonce said during his first press conference since the injury. “It’s like an overall feeling that you let people down, even though it’s something that you couldn’t help, but I’m happy that’s behind me and I can only look forward.”

The 2021 third-round pick has been working to get back on the field and said he’s in a “good place” with his rehab, trusting Las Vegas’ staff to get him ready to play. As one would imagine, it’s been a frustrating process, and he’s faced several tough days since the injury. But he credits the entire organization for helping him get through it.

“I would say the Raiders in general,” Koonce replied when asked about who has helped him push through the frustrations. “I was around here doing my rehab and stuff. So, the strength staff, they were very encouraging. The training room staff, very encouraging. And then, don’t forget my teammates.

“Robbie [Leonard] all the time, he was always giving me little talks and stuff like that. You got Maxx [Crosby], you got AB [Adam Butler], you got Christian [Wilkins]. I was over there with him (Wilkins) talking the whole time too because he was rehabbing. So, definitely just everybody around me, the Raiders organization.”

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

While Koonce’s primary focus since September has been getting back to 100 percent, the NFL is a competitive league where players have to get better year after year to earn the lucrative contracts mentioned above. Obviously, that’s a tough task for an injured player who isn’t on the field.

So, the pass-rusher spent hours in the film room to get mental reps, do some self-evaluation and study other elite talents at the position.

“You can kind of take some time to come back to the drawing board and look at your old film and look at film across the league,” Koonce replied when asked about what he’s been up to over the last several months.

“Also, since you’re not playing, you can pay attention to guys on the team. So, just focusing on stuff that you see across the league and that you can implement in your game, that’s something I was doing, and just kind of reflecting on my career so far.”

The Raiders took notice of the work the 26-year-old was putting in while on the mend. Despite bringing in a new general manager, John Spytek, and a new head coach, Pete Carroll, word traveled about Koonce as people like Crosby, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and defensive line coach Rob Leaonard spoke highly of Koonce.

That led to the organization re-signing him to a one-year, $12 million contract at the beginning of free agency. While that falls short of the mega deal he was likely hoping to sign, it’s quite the raise from the Buffalo product’s rookie contract that averaged about $1.25 million per season.

Part of the reason he wanted to return to Las Vegas was the continuity with the people mentioned above, especially the defensive coordinator.

“Oh, it’s a big part,” Koonce explained on how bringing back Graham influenced his decision to re-sign. “Pat has kind of seen me grow into the player that I am, so I’m very comfortable around him, comfortable in the system, and it’s always great to be around guys that believe in you.

“…Definitely a good feeling when you come back to a comfortable position with people that you know, people that you know and trust, people that you played with before. It was an amazing feeling, felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders, so I’m happy.”

After stints with Jon Gruden, Rich Bisaccia, Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce, Koonce will be playing for his fifth head coach in five years with the Silver and Black. But that doesn’t seem to impact the defensive end’s enthusiasm for the upcoming campaign, as he has a great deal of respect for the team’s new leader.

“Pete Carroll, he’s a legend of a coach, so who doesn’t want to be around him?” Koonce said. “…I’m extremely excited [to play for Carroll]. Just remember being a kid in high school, watching him coach. So, it’s kind of surreal to be around him and say that that’s my coach too, so definitely excited.”

On top of playing for a coach he grew up admiring, there’s plenty of reason for Koonce to be excited heading into the fall. He’s playing on a “prove it” contract and, at this time next year, could end up getting the big-money pass-rusher contract he’s been hoping for. All that’s left for him to do is, well, prove it.