Pete Carroll, the former head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, finds himself in unfamiliar territory this fall. For the first time in nearly 25 years, the college football and NFL seasons are about to begin, and Carroll is not on the sidelines. It’s a surprising turn for the 72-year-old, who has dedicated his entire professional life to football, achieving success at both the college and pro levels. Yet, this decision is entirely his own.
“I could coach tomorrow,” Carroll recently shared with Seattle sports radio station 93.3 KJR. “I’m physically in the best shape I’ve been in in a long time. I’m ready to do all the activities that I’m doing and feeling really good about it. I could, but I don’t really — I’m not desiring it at this point.”
Carroll’s coaching career, which most recently spanned 14 years with the Seahawks, came to an end in January when he and the team parted ways, according to Fox Sports. Despite his impressive resume, Carroll wasn’t in the running for any head coaching jobs this offseason. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be spending his Sundays watching Red Zone and jotting down notes. Instead, Carroll is returning to his roots at USC, where he served as head coach from 2001 to 2009. He’s taking on a new role as a teacher, though the details remain under wraps.
“It’s going to be a really exciting endeavor when it’s finalized and all that,” Carroll hinted. “I’m excited about it because there’s more stuff to teach. There’s more stuff to share. Everybody wants to know what I’m doing and all that, am I coaching or what am I doing? I’m working with some really fun people and some exciting opportunities to do some really cool stuff and putting things together … for others, so I’m going to keep working that way and see what happens.”
Although Carroll hasn’t completely closed the door on returning to coaching, it’s clear that it’s not something he’s actively pursuing. Instead, he’s focused on seeking out new opportunities that excite him, wherever they may lead.
“We’ll see what happens. I’m not waiting on it at all. I’m going ahead. I’ve got other things that I want to do that I’m excited about, and I’m going to see how all that goes. I’m not thinking that I’m holding my breath and that kind of thing. If it’s been 40-something years, 48 years or whatever coaching, and that’s it, I’ll feel OK about that.”
Many might have expected Carroll, who was the NFL’s oldest head coach in 2023, to be one of those coaches who would continue until the very end, with a headset on and clipboard in hand. But reality has a way of surprising us. Carroll has chosen to leave that headset behind. His focus now is on new ventures, and he’s content to let his former team move on without him.
He’s only met the new Seahawks head coach, Mike Macdonald, once—by chance, in a parking lot. Carroll isn’t following his former team closely, choosing instead to wish them luck and “let them go.” After a career spent forging his own path in football, Carroll is moving on to the next chapter, whatever it may hold.