Although Pete Carroll is one of the top names on this year’s coaching carousel, the 14-year Seahawks leader has not met with a team about its HC position. It appears he is trying to change that.
Carroll had wanted to keep going with the Seahawks, admitting he made an aggressive pitch to stay on. The Seahawks instead kicking him to an advisory role leaves the energetic leader’s NFL future uncertain. But Carroll is believed to have attempted to land another gig. The 72-year-old coach has been making a behind-the-scenes push to land the Chargers’ job, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
While both the Chargers and Falcons have Jim Harbaugh on their respective radars, the Michigan HC is now most closely linked to the Bolts’ opening. The Chargers have made Harbaugh an offer viewed as “extremely strong,” and Harbaugh assistants are already circulating. The Chargers have satisfied the Rooney Rule, and although Harbaugh has been in talks with his current employer about an extension for weeks, it would not surprise to see him make Los Angeles his vehicle for an NFL comeback after nine years in the college ranks.
Carroll and Harbaugh coached against each other throughout the latter’s time in San Francisco, most memorably in a tightly contested 2013 NFC championship game the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks won. While Carroll has coached in two Super Bowls as a head coach and has a ring from Super Bowl XLVIII, his Seattle defenses have declined over the past several years. Over the past two, the Seahawks ranked 30th in total defense. That understandably interfered with his hopes of coming back for a 15th season, with longtime GM ally John Schneider now running the show in Seattle.
It would stand to reason teams would still be interested in Carroll, given his accomplishments, but the two oldest members on this year’s HC carousel — Carroll and Bill Belichick — have not received substantial interest. At least, not from multiple teams. Belichick remains closely linked to the Atlanta HC opening, interviewing twice. But the 24-year Patriots HC has not met with any other team.
Belichick, who is 71, is less than a year younger than Carroll, who was the NFL’s oldest HC last season. No team has hired a head coach older than 66 in NFL history, with only four coaches (Carroll, George Halas, Marv Levy, Romeo Crennel) in league annals coaching a game at 72 or older. Carroll’s age will undoubtedly impede his quest to land a fourth NFL HC gig. It is nonetheless interesting Carroll is trying to land in Los Angeles, where he spent nine years coaching USC in the 2000s.
That’s cute.
He should return to USC and coach the defense
Maybe Pete the Cheat could go back to USC. The Reggie Bush stuff that “he knew nothing about” is a distant memory.
Tinfoil hat Florio throwing something against the wall so he can run his mouth. Quit quoting him, that’s like quoting the National Enquirer.
Why are you reading the National Enquirer?
Florio does.. because he reports false information all the time
Oh come on old man. Move on with your life. Get an analyst job where you can pontificate all day long.
Pete is 72 and runs 10 miles a day and has the energy of a 32 year old. He’ll probably live to 100. If he wants to continue to coach more power to him
San Diego needs a fire breather for a head coach. I’m not sure that Carroll has that in him anymore.
Don Coryell was probably the closest thing to a fire breather the Chargers had at HC but his record in San Diego was rather average at 69-56 with a 3-4 record in the playoffs.
San Diego needs an attitude adjustment. Carroll could provide that. He is also a far better coach than the last one.
Haven’t watched him in practices or on the sidelines during games? Guy is a heck of a bundle of energy which fires up his players.
If folks believe the defensive failures in Seattle are all on him it’s due to ‘being the captain of the ship’ where success or failure of position coaches and players resides on Pete’s shoulders.
Y’all might consider his success with Geno, who was considered ‘washed up’, the last two years as progress made by Drew Lock another QB thought to be a waste of space.
I’d prefer Pete to either BB or JH
Fired Marty for going 14-2. That karma won’t go away anytime soon.
Marty and AJ clashed just like Harbaugh and 49er brass.
Smith had a big ego and wanted to be King of SD.
Pete Carroll is going to be hard pressed to beat out Harbaugh if that’s where the Chargers want to go. Of course Harbaugh could tell them to pound sand. I’m thinking the only thing holding Atlanta back from hiring Bill is Rooney Rule check the box interviews, oh wait, they got rid of that hahahaha.
That leaves Commanders and Panthers as Pete’s potential slots, assuming Harbaugh goes to LAC and Bill goes to ATL. I guess Washington would be better???
Questions 1: “You have the ball, 2nd and goal. It’s 4th quarter with 27 seconds left, to win the super bowl. What do you do?”
Punt?