Pete Carroll has led the Seattle Seahawks to their most sustained run of success in franchise history, including the franchise’s first Super Bowl title to cap off the 2013 season. Some recent struggles, though, appear to have come to a head as Carroll’s time as Seattle’s head coach is officially over.
Pete Carroll Out as Seattle Seahawks Head Coach
News first broke that Carroll was expected to be out as the Seahawks’ head coach on Wednesday before Seattle confirmed the news when it made the official announcement that he would transition to a new role as an advisor with the organization.
“After thoughtful meetings and careful consideration for the best interest of the franchise, we have amicably agreed with Pete Carroll that his role will evolve from head coach to remain with the organization as an advisor,” Seahawks chair Jody Allen said in a statement posted to the team’s X (formerly Twitter) account.
“Pete is the winningest head coach in Seahawks history, brought the city its first Super Bowl title, and has created a tremendous impact over the past 14 years on the field and in the community. His expertise in leadership and building a championship culture will continue as an integral part of our organization moving forward. Pete will always be a beloved member of the Seahawks family.”
Statement from Jody Allen – Chair, Seattle Seahawks pic.twitter.com/RNUZvF6Vgp
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 10, 2024
Carroll finishes with a 137-89-1 record across 14 years as the Seahawks’ head coach. He started in the role in 2010 after a nine-year run leading USC’s football program to historic success.
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He quickly helped spur an upswing for the franchise, which had gone through a pair of rough seasons at 4-12 and 5-11 the previous two years. Carroll propelled Seattle to a playoff berth in his first season at the helm before beginning a streak of nine straight winning seasons in 2012 — all but one of them featuring at least 10 victories.
Carroll led Seattle to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2014, lifting the trophy after Super Bowl 48 before suffering a narrow loss in Super Bowl 49.
A tearful Carroll addressed the media Wednesday after the announcement, crediting his family for how impactful they were during his time in Seattle.
“This is worth crying for,” Carroll said. “Glena, nobody would ever understand how significant, she had been through all of the stuff we’ve been through and she’s just been an angel in my life. I owe you everything.
“My boys, Brennan and Nate, you guys have no idea how valuable they’ve been to me. They’re the ones that would give me all the crap about what I was screwing up. They were harsh and their critiques were rash and the whole thing, it was perfect because I needed that loyalty. They were the epitome of it for me.
“Forever grateful, they know, but I don’t mind saying it to you because it’s hard to be that deeply loyal. It’s hard to tell people what they don’t want to hear and what they need to hear. It’s rare to have people around you who are willing to do that, particularly when you get in this kind of position. It’s so necessary to do well and do right.
“Jaime and the crew, my daughter and all our husbands and wives and our seven-plus kids. We have one on the way coming in April, making Glena and I the proudest grandma and grandpa you can be. Really grateful to those kiddies that put up with grandpa’s crazy stuff, because you can imagine I’m a pretty whacked out grandpa.”
To the Carroll family. pic.twitter.com/JUTryOhvC9
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 10, 2024
After making the postseason in nine of Carroll’s first 11 seasons at the helm, Seattle missed the playoffs in two of his last three seasons and had not gotten to the 10-win mark since 2020.
They advanced past the Wild Card round of the postseason once in the last seven years after reaching at least the Divisional Round for five straight seasons.
The potential availability of coaches like Mike Vrabel, Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and others this offseason may have played a factor in the franchise’s decision to go with a new leader.
Now, Seattle will look to build a new era of success and find the next head coach to lead it back to historic heights.
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