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Pete Carroll

Pete Carroll Moving Into Frontrunner Position For Raiders’ HC Job?

January 20th, 2025 at 11:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Ben Johnson choosing to team with Caleb Williams in Chicago, his other two suitors will need backup plans. While Liam Coen has been closely tied to the Jags, the Raiders may have a more experienced option in mind.

Pete Carroll was among the many candidates to meet with the Bears, but the former Super Bowl-winning HC also interviewed for the Raiders’ job. As Johnson is Chicago-bound, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed indicates Carroll looks to have moved into frontrunner position in Las Vegas. This marks the second mention of Carroll being a true candidate in Las Vegas.

The Raiders are using the Korn Ferry search firm’s Jed Hughes to help them identify their next coach, and Reed points out Hughes helped guide Carroll to the Seahawks in 2010. This connection is certainly interesting, and a Carroll HC appointment would both make him the rare fourth-chance NFL HC and represent a stark difference from the direction the Raiders were prepared to go with Johnson.

Although Tom Brady spoke with Johnson extensively over Zoom and had eyed the Lions’ OC for a while, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz indicates the team was never considered the frontrunner for the hotshot play-caller. The Bears were viewed as the early favorites, and the team stuck the landing with the picky candidate. Johnson’s decision will certainly affect the Raiders, who joined the Jaguars in appearing to have him atop their candidate list.

Carroll turned 73 in September. As this space has regularly reminded, no team has hired a head coach older than 66 (Bruce Arians, 2019). Those reminders generally pertained to Bill Belichick, who will turn 73 in April. But Belichick is now at North Carolina. Although a few rumors — including one involving the Raiders — have mentioned some uneasiness on the Tar Heels’ part, Belichick is believed to be committed to trying his hand in the ACC. Although Arians is the oldest full-time HC ever hired, Carroll joins Romeo Crennel, George Halas and Marv Levy as coaches to man the sideline at 72. Of course, Carroll would become the oldest HC in league history if the Raiders hire him. No one has coached a game at 73 previously.

It would certainly be interesting, then, if Carroll became the oldest HC ever hired after Belichick punted on another HC carousel stay. Carroll spent 14 seasons as Seahawks HC but was Belichick’s Patriots predecessor (1997-99) as well. He began his head coaching run as a one-and-done Jets leader in 1994. (Brady was a rookie in 2000 and did not overlap with Carroll in New England.) To be on the radar for a job 30 years later represents remarkable staying power for the two-time Super Bowl coach.

Following the Johnson-Bears agreement, here is how the Raiders’ HC search looks:

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 15th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the now-HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-21-25 (9:10pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Raiders Hire Headhunter For HC/GM Search; Pete Carroll Among Top HC Candidates

January 10th, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders were already looking for a new head coach, and after firing Tom Telesco, they’re looking for a new general manager as well.

The team has brought in headhunter Jed Hughes of consulting firm Korn Ferry to join their search process, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Hughes coached in college and the NFL for almost 20 years and has since helped multiple teams hire coaches and executives, including the Packers and the 49ers. He will join Tom Brady as a key voice in the direction of the Raiders this offseason.

Hughes’ NFL experience includes a two-year stint as the Vikings’ defensive backs coach under Bud Grant in 1982 and 1983, giving him a connection with one of the Raiders’ head coach candidates. Grant retired after the 1983 season, but returned to Minnesota in 1985 and hired Pete Carroll in Hughes’ former position.

Carroll is a serious candidate for the HC job in Las Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore Las Vegas Review-Journal. He has already interviewed for the same job with the Bears. Carroll stepped down as the Seahawks’ head coach last year, but remained with the team as an advisor.

Brady has plenty of his own connections around the league, including a relationship with Buccaneers general manager John Spytek, according to Jones. Spytek was Brady’s teammate at Michigan in 1999 and later helped bring the quarterback to Tampa Bay as the team’s vice president of player personnel. The Buccaneers then won Super Bowl LV in Brady’s first year.

Brady isn’t the only Raiders minority owner who could impact the team’s ability to attract top candidates. Egon Durban, CEO of investment firm Silver Lake, purchased 7.5% of the team in December, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The persuasive power of Brady’s reputation and Durban’s financial resources could be a key factor in a crowded coaching market this offseason.

Raiders To Interview Pete Carroll For HC Job

January 9th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

After failing in their (potential) Hail Mary attempt to lure Bill Belichick to Las Vegas, the Raiders will now take a look at another long-time NFL coach. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are set to interview Pete Carroll for their coaching vacancy next week.

Carroll spent this past year out of the NFL following his divorce with the Seahawks last offseason. It didn’t take long for the former Super Bowl winner to reemerge in this year’s hiring cycle. The 73-year-old met with the Bears about their head coaching vacancy earlier today.

The long-time coach would bring 18 years of HC experience to Las Vegas. He most recently spent more than a decade in Seattle, where he helped guide the Seahawks to 10 playoff berths, including two Super Bowl appearances. However, the organization decided to move on after Carroll and the Seahawks went 25-26 with a single one-and-done playoff appearance between 2021 and 2023.

Even before Carroll was ousted, there were rumblings that the coach was considering retirement or a transition to the front office. Shortly thereafter, we heard that Carroll always intended to stick around as Seattle’s HC for at least one more year, and his recent appearance in the interview circuit clearly indicates that he’s not ready to step away from the NFL.

While Carroll was tasked with guiding competitive teams in his time with Seattle and New England, he’ll be eyeing a rebuilding situation in Las Vegas. The Raiders are armed with the sixth-overall pick and will be one of the main suitors for the draft’s top QB prospects. Carroll once guided the Seahawks to contention with third-round pick Russell Wilson, and his defensive pedigree could help speed up the franchise’s turnaround.

The Raiders are now seeking their fourth full-time HC since the 2021 campaign. While Antonio Pierce avoided a Black Monday firing, he was handed his pink slip the following day. Carroll represents the sixth definitive candidate for the job. We heard earlier today that former Jets head coach Robert Saleh had joined the list with Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, Ravens OC Todd Monken, and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo. Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have also been mentioned as potential options for the organization, but neither candidate has scheduled a reported interview.

As for Belichick, we heard that Tom Brady — who is playing a central role in the Las Vegas HC search — recently contacted his former coach to see about a reunion. It was quickly reported that Belichick didn’t have any interest in reneging on his UNC commitment. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes that Brady was merely picking his former coach’s brain as he prepares for a HC move, and Mark Maske The Washington Post says the Raiders haven’t given “serious consideration in recent days” to a Belichick pursuit.

It’s already been a busy day in Las Vegas. The Raiders kicked off a GM search after moving on from Tom Telesco.

Bears Schedule Pete Carroll HC Interview

January 7th, 2025 at 8:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Pete Carroll expressed interest in the Bears’ head coaching job, but the longtime Seahawks HC’s name was not included in the initial wave of interview requests. It is now.

[RELATED: Pete Carroll Interested In Bears’ HC Job]

The Bears are planning to meet with the Super Bowl-winning coach Thursday, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler report. Carroll attempted to land another job after his Seattle ouster last year but did not. The veteran leader’s age (73) stands to present issues, as it did for Bill Belichick, but the Bears are going to see what the experienced leader can bring to the table.

Reports about Carroll’s NFL future haven’t necessarily been consistent. Following his Seattle ouster, there were rumblings that the long-time coach was moving towards retirement, anyway. On the flip side, reports indicated that Carroll intended to remain in his post as head coach of the Seahawks in 2024, but efforts to convince the organization to allow that to take place were ultimately unsuccessful.

While Carroll didn’t push for a new gig during the 2024 campaign, he recently resurfaced in the HC carousel, as the former Super Bowl champ was connected to the Bears gig towards the end of the regular season. He’ll now have a chance to pitch himself to Chicago’s brass, although it remains to be seen if the organization is simply doing their due diligence. While the Bears have cast a wide net in their search for a Matt Eberflus replacement, there’s been a sentiment that they’re seeking an offensive mind who can help develop former No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Carroll’s defensive pedigree wouldn’t necessarily match with that gameplan.

Of course, Carroll’s decades in the NFL means he has plenty of connections, so it shouldn’t be tough for the coach to find a worthy offensive lieutenant. Carroll also helped transform former third-round pick Russell Wilson into one of the best QBs in the NFL, so it’s not like the coach is completely incapable of guiding a young signal-caller.

While Carroll’s age could work against him, he also had an obvious experience advantage over his fellow candidates. The long-time coach has 18 years of head coaching experience in stops with the Jets, Patriots, and Seahawks. He’s only earned one Super Bowl ring, but he also earned a second NFC Championship, and he owns a career playoff record of 11-11. His final seasons in Seattle left a bit to be desired, as the Seahawks went 25-26 with a single one-and-done playoff appearance between 2021 and 2023.

Still, there’s no denying that Carroll represents one of the most respected names available on the market. Assuming the Bears are looking for an immediate return to legitimacy, Carroll would certainly add some credibility to the organization.

Pete Carroll Interested In Bears’ HC Job

December 25th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

After a year away from the NFL, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is ready to get back on an NFL sideline, and he has his eye on a specific sideline. There are currently three jobs that will be interviewing candidates for next season: the Bears, Jets, and Saints. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s the job in Chicago that Carroll has his eyes on.

Carroll has taken breaks from NFL coaching jobs in the past to much success. After his first stint as a head for the Jets, as a result of promotion from defensive coordinator, ended unceremoniously after one year, Carroll rebounded as a defensive coordinator for the 49ers before earning his second head coaching job with the Patriots, whom he took twice to the playoffs and with whom he never had a losing record. Despite the surface-level success in New England, team owner Robert Kraft fired Carroll after a late-season slide cost them a playoff spot in 1999.

Carroll then chose to become a head coach at the collegiate level, as opposed to returning to the NFL as a defensive coordinator again. After a rough 6-6 inaugural year as a college head coach with USC, Carroll quickly turned the Trojans into a powerhouse program, winning the conference seven straight years and winning back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004, not to mention just missing out on a three-peat after falling to Vince Young and the Longhorns in 2005.

Carroll turned his college success into another opportunity to coach in the NFL, landing the job in Seattle that he held for 14 years. In all that time, Carroll only had three losing seasons (twice going 7-9 and once going 7-10), amassing a career-record in Seattle of 137-89-1. He made the playoffs 10 times and twice made it to the sport’s season finale, winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl title. When the Seahawks narrowly missed the postseason last year due to a tiebreaker, Carroll and Seattle mutually agreed that he would step down from his post as head coach.

Nearly a year later, Carroll is ready to put his hat back in the ring. The question is: where could he go? This year’s crop of head coaching candidates has been deemed as a weaker class, especially after one of the stronger candidates, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, made the decision to take a head coaching at the collegiate level with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Schefter’s report claims that Carroll is interested in the Chicago job, but is he a good fit?

The Bears have made it known in preliminary conversations about who will replace Matt Eberflus that they are hoping to bring someone in who can develop and mold rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. While Williams shares a USC connection with Carroll, the two were never there at the same time. Additionally, Carroll’s defensive-minded background would require him to come in with a plan on which assistants he could bring in to develop Williams. The Bears’ supposed preference leads many to believe that an offensive-minded coordinator like Kliff Kingsbury or Ben Johnson would be a better fit, especially since Kingsbury was a mentor of Williams at USC just last year.

So, if not Chicago, what city seems to make more sense as Carroll’s next destination? The Jets have a history of hiring defensive-minded head coaches, as well as a history of hiring guys named “Pete Carroll.” They just fired a former defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh, but their foray with Adam Gase, a former offensive coordinator, was brief and unsuccessful. Before that, was a defensive coordinator in Todd Bowles and, before him, Rex Ryan, who led the team to their last playoff appearance and back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010. There may be a bit of bad blood over his firing the first time around, but over the last 30 years, he may have let bygones be bygones.

The Saints are the other option, though a few more pop up at the end of the season. Regardless, Carroll is ready to take a stab at another NFL job, and though he seems to favor Chicago early on, he may have to keep his options open and explore the other positions available to him.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Hufanga, Rams

October 10th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Left in charge after the Seahawks jettisoned their other football operations pillar, John Schneider‘s search for Pete Carroll‘s successor started earlier. The 14-year Seattle HC’s age (72 as of Week 18 last season) moved Schneider to do some early work on candidates, per ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson, leading the team to 36-year-old Mike Macdonald.

While the Carroll-for-Macdonald change — or a move to a much younger candidate — was eventually expected, the decision from Seahawks ownership gave Schneider full autonomy for the first time. Previously riding shotgun to Carroll in terms of final roster say, Schneider’s takeover of sorts came after the aging HC had discussed ceding that power to the GM in recent years, Henderson adds. A January report also pointed to Carroll considering retirement around midseason only to reverse course; Seahawks ownership’s decision cemented the change to a Schneider-run operation. Although Carroll and Schneider rarely disagreed to the point the coach had to wield his decision-making hammer, it will be interesting to gauge the Seahawks’ direction with the longtime GM calling all the shots.

Carroll is technically a Seahawks advisor following his coaching stay, though the former Jets and Patriots HC wanted to coach again. He lobbied to keep the Seattle gig. But Carroll has kept his distance from the facility, with Henderson adding the departed coach wants to give Macdonald’s regime space. Carroll had indeed planned to serve in his advisory role, but he has stepped back in the months since. Carroll, now 73, is no longer eyeing another coaching job.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Both Carroll and Macdonald signed off on a Jason Peters addition. The now-42-year-old tackle played sparingly for the Seahawks last season, coming in to help a team that missed RT Abraham Lucas for much of the season. With that again the case and George Fant‘s second Seattle stint on hold, the Seahawks again summoned Peters to the practice squad. Close to becoming the first O-lineman to be on an active roster in a 21st NFL season, Peters said he did not expect to play again. Staying in contact with Schneider helped the All-Decade blocker’s cause, Henderson adds, and he could be on the cusp of being elevated to the Hawks’ gameday roster again.
  • Tre’Davious White is still on the Rams‘ 53-man roster, but the team deemed the eighth-year veteran a healthy scratch in Week 5. Classifying this as a coach’s decision, Sean McVay demoted the free agency acquisition from starter to out of the mix entirely, via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This is an interesting decision, even with the Rams activating Darious Williams from IR and turning to the recently re-signed Ahkello Witherspoon as a starter (alongside Cobie Durant) for the first time this season. Despite his injury trouble during the final years of his Bills tenure, White played 98% of Los Angeles’ defensive snaps during the team’s first four games. Pro Football Focus rated White as the NFL’s seventh-worst corner this season, and the former Buffalo extension recipient has already been charged with allowing four touchdown receptions and a 138.4 passer rating as the closest defender this season. White, 29, is on a one-year, $4.25MM deal.
  • Talanoa Hufanga is back on IR, having suffered a wrist injury shortly after his ACL rehab odyssey concluded. Injuries are slowing the All-Pro safety, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano still views him as being on the 49ers’ extension radar. Hufanga joins cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir on San Francisco’s extension radar. The team may be readier to commit to Lenoir compared to Ward, who is three years younger (at 25), but Hufanga being on the team’s re-up radar is interesting. The former fifth-round pick rocketed onto the All-Pro tier in 2022 and would make sense as an extension candidate, but the 49ers paid Brandon Aiyuk this offseason and have a Brock Purdy extension on the horizon. Choices will need to be made on a defense that also houses Dre Greenlaw in a contract year.

Pete Carroll Not Eyeing New Coaching Gig

August 22nd, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Adam La Rose

Pete Carroll intended to remain in his post as head coach of the Seahawks in 2024. Efforts to convince the organization to allow that to take place were unsuccessful, though.

Set to turn 73 in September, Carroll does not have a role of any kind in place with the Seahawks. Seattle’s power structure now has general manager John Schneider making final decisions on roster-building moves and rookie head coach Mike Macdonald positioned to take over on the sidelines. Carroll has not been in touch with Macdonald or other Seattle staffers, nor is he actively seeking out a new coaching opportunity.

“Well, you know, I get asked a lot, so I’m pretty familiar with answering that I could coach tomorrow,” the Super Bowl winner said during an interview on 93.3 KJR. “I’m physically in the best shape I’ve been in a long time. I’m ready to be ready to do all the activities that I’m doing and feeling really good about it. I could, but I’m not desiring it at this point.”

Carroll’s NFL tenure dates back to 1994, and he took over as head coach in Seattle in 2010. The tenure that followed included a pair of Super Bowl appearances and an overall winning percentage of .606. The past three seasons have not included double-digit wins, though, and the Seahawks made only one playoff appearance during that span. Macdonald will be tasked with overseeing efforts on the defensive side of the ball in particular as the team looks to return to its former successes in that capacity.

While a number of coaches who were left without a position in the 2024 coaching cycle intend to return to an NFL sideline – including, most notably, Bill Belichick – Carroll does not have his eyes on doing so in the short- or long-term future. While circumstances could change, of course, the NFL’s 15th-winnigest coaches’ comments on his situation point to the 2023 campaign being his final one in any coaching capacity.

“We’ll see what happens,” Carroll added. “I’m not waiting on [a new opportunity] at all. I’m going ahead and I got other things that I want to do that I’m excited about, and I’m going to see how all that goes… So, if it’s been 40-something years, 48 years or whatever coaching and that’s it, I feel OK about that.”

Latest On Pete Carroll’s Seahawks Exit, Team’s HC Search

January 30th, 2024 at 6:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours after the Seahawks closed the regular season with a win over the Cardinals, Pete Carroll said he was ready to return for a 15th season in charge. Two days later, the Seahawks officially announced other plans, moving on from the Super Bowl-winning HC.

Carroll may not have been resolute on returning, however. During the season, the longtime Seattle HC informed some team decision-makers he was moving toward retirement and was interested in staying with the team in a different capacity, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline notes. That path came to fruition, though it is not known what role Carroll will play going forward. He is not part of the committee searching for his own replacement.

The apparent Carroll backtracking did not sway Seahawks management, per Pauline, as team higher-ups were ready to move in a different direction. Carroll, 72, said he lobbied to keep his job and expressed frustration he was forced to convince non-football staffers. That said, GM John Schneider — effectively Carroll’s right-hand man for 14 years — has since assumed full control of the Seahawks. The veteran GM is leading the HC search.

This proved to be a disappointing season for the Seahawks, who faced higher expectations after a 9-8 2022 slate and a busy offseason. Seattle used two first-round picks, gave Dre’Mont Jones a $17MM-per-year deal and brought back Bobby Wagner. The team also traded for Leonard Williams, sending the Giants second- and fifth-round picks at the deadline. The Carroll- and Clint Hurtt-run defense struggled, finishing 30th in points allowed and 28th in DVOA. The team rallied back from its 6-7 place, but the mini-surge was not enough to qualify for the playoffs — even in a weak NFC wild-card chase. Hurtt is now with the Eagles, having agreed to become their D-line coach.

With Ben Johnson off the board, the likelihood of Ravens DC Mike Macdonald landing one of the two remaining jobs increases. Macdonald remains in the thick of the Seattle derby, ESPN’s Dan Graziano relayed on NFL Live (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), but Giants OC Mike Kafka has also emerged as a name to watch here. Bobby Slowik has joined Johnson in bowing out and agreeing to keep his current job.

It would surprise if Kafka landed this job, if only because the Giants are coming off a rough follow-up to their surprising 2022 divisional-round run. The Giants tumbled to 30th in points scored and in offensive DVOA. Granted, Daniel Jones‘ injury changed the equation for the Giants, who have employed Kafka as their play-caller over the past two seasons. Jones, however, was not playing well before his ACL tear. And tension between Kafka and Brian Daboll ran high at points, leading to the head coach yanking play-calling duties during games. Rumblings about Kafka being out of the picture in New York surfaced, but he remains on staff. Kafka is not in contention for the Washington job.

Here is how the Seahawks’ HC search looks:

Pete Carroll Pushing For Chargers’ HC Job?

January 23rd, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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