When it comes to plenty of successful people, it’s about the details.
Pete Carroll has been a collegiate and NFL champion. As the latter, he was head coach of the New York Jets (1994), New England Patriots (1997-99), and Seattle Seahawks, he amassed 181 total victories (including playoffs). That now ranks 17th in league annals behind some pretty storied company that is well-represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Now Carroll is making his fourth NFL stop, hired by the Las Vegas Raiders. He inherits a program that has hit the skids. No division title since 2002, which was also the last time the Silver and Black won a playoff game.
Pete Carroll clears up any conclusions about Seahawks exit
After nine seasons at USC, Carroll returned to the NFL in 2010 with the Seahawks. He spent 14 seasons in the Pacific Northwest. The team reached the postseason 10 times, winning five division titles, and making back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and ‘14. He and the franchise hoisted a Lombardi Trophy after routing the Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The 2023 campaign saw the team finish 9-8 but miss out on the playoffs. That was the end of Carroll’s run with the team. Three days after the club’s final game (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson), team owner Jody Allen released a statement that said parting ways with the coach with the most victories in Seahawks’ history was done “after thoughtful meetings and careful consideration for the best interest of the franchise.”
In his departing press conference, Carroll stated that he and the team “mutually agreed to set a new course.” He also explained that he “competed pretty hard” to retain his job, but that he eventually “went along with their intentions.”
Added Carroll. “I want to make sure that that’s clear as things have shifted so quickly in most people’s perspective. It’s been an honor and a thrill to be part of this program and I’ve loved every minute of it. You’ve watched me love it.”
Fast forward to Tuesday.
Pete Carroll, asked about coming out of retirement: “If you remember, I DIDN’T retire.”
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) February 25, 2025
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. This season, Carroll gets to renew acquaintances with longtime rival Jim Harbaugh, who will begin his second seasons with the Chargers. It’s too bad the Seahawks aren’t on the Raiders’ regular-season schedule for 2025.