Former Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Earns Second Interview

Another destination emerges for former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

Jon Alfano | Jan 10, 2025

Nov 23, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll walks to the locker room following pregame warmups against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll's return to the NFL coaching ranks looks more and more plausible.

After interviewing with the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Carroll will also interview with the Las Vegas Raiders for their head-coaching vacancy next week, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Former Seahawks HC Pete Carroll, who met Thursday with the Chicago Bears about their vacancy, will interview next week for the Raiders’ head coaching job, per source. pic.twitter.com/c04xVl0cM2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 10, 2025

The Raiders, who finished the season 4-13, cleaned house this week by firing head coach Antonio Pierce on Tuesday and general manager Tom Telesco on Thursday. It's definitely messy to fire both of them after just one season in their full-time roles, but Vegas certainly isn't content with complacency.

Carroll's reputation proceeds himself, especially to anyone reading this. He ran the show in Seattle from 2010-24, and only proceeded to lead the franchise to its most-successful period in history. Between 10 playoff appearances, five NFC West titles, two NFC Championships and the Seahawks' first and so far only Super Bowl title, he's an eternal legend in the Emerald City, and that's not even getting into his accomplishments elsewhere.

That said, Carroll being 73 and set to turn 74 early next season, is definitely a factor in his return to the league. He was already the oldest coach in the league when the Seahawks moved on last year, and he'd be by far the oldest if he were to return this season. It's also likely not a coincidence that Seattle hired the youngest head coach in the NFL, 37-year-old Mike Macdonald, in order to replace him.

Still, Carroll's body of work is incredibly impressive, and there is undoubtedly a market for him. If there wasn't, then he wouldn't be getting these interview requests.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of Carroll interviewing for the Raiders job is the possiblity of reigniting his old rivalry with Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. The two coaches have always been linked, first when Carroll was at USC and Harbaugh at Stanford, then in the NFL with the former leading the Seahawks and the latter leading the San Francisco 49ers. Seeing that rivalry come back to life would be very interesting to say the least.