Pete Carroll

Lore & Background

Beginning his coaching career on the NFL level, Carroll saw minimal success as head coach of the New York Jets in 1994 and the New England Patriots from 1997 to 1999. Shifting to college football with USC, he revitalized the struggling program into a top-ranked contender from 2001 to 2009, winning seven consecutive conference championships and an AP national championship. He also won a BCS national championship at the 2005 Orange Bowl, although the title was later vacated.

Carroll's college success prompted a return to the NFL in 2010 when he was hired as the head coach of the Seahawks. During his 14 seasons, he led the team to 10 playoff appearances, five division titles, two consecutive Super Bowls, and the franchise's first championship in Super Bowl XLVIII. The team's Legion of Boom defense also led the league in scoring defense for three consecutive seasons under Carroll. Following the 2023 season, Carroll stepped down as head coach to take an advisory position with the Seahawks.

He left Seattle in 2025 to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was fired after one season when the Raiders went 3-14.

Reader's Guide

Carroll was born on September 15, 1951, in San Francisco, California. He attended Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, and later played college football at the College of Marin and the University of the Pacific. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Pacific in 1973. He later coached at Arkansas, Iowa State, Ohio State, and North Carolina State before entering the NFL.

His NFL coaching stops included the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets (as defensive coordinator and head coach), San Francisco 49ers (defensive coordinator), and New England Patriots (head coach). He returned to college football as head coach of USC from 2000 to 2009, then became head coach of the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2023. After stepping down, he took an advisory role with the Seahawks, then became head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025, where he was fired after a 3-14 season.

Did You Know?

• The Seahawks' Legion of Boom defense led the league in scoring defense for three consecutive seasons (2013–2015) under Carroll.
• Carroll finished his college playing career with 22 interceptions.
• He was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.