 Carroll with theLas Vegas Raiders in 2025 | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1951-09-15)September 15, 1951 (age 74) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Redwood(Larkspur, California) |
| College |
|
| Career history | |
Coaching | |
| |
Operations | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | NFL: 172–129–1 (.571) NCAA: 90–17 (.841) |
| Postseason | NFL: 11–11 (.500) NCAA: 7–2 (.778) |
| Career | NFL: 183–140–1 (.566) NCAA: 97–19 (.836)[1] |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
| Executive profile atPro Football Reference | |
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American professionalfootball coach who is thehead coach for theLas Vegas Raiders of theNational Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach forUSC (2001–2009), theNew York Jets (1994),New England Patriots (1997–1999), andSeattle Seahawks (2010–2023). Carroll is the third head coach to win both acollege football national championship and aSuper Bowl, afterJimmy Johnson andBarry Switzer.[2]
Beginning his coaching career on the NFL level, Carroll saw minimal success as head coach of the Jets and Patriots in the 1990s. Shifting to college football with USC, he revitalized the struggling program into a top-ranked contender, winning seven consecutive conference championships and anAP national championship. He also won a BCS national championship at the2005 Orange Bowl, although the title was later vacated.
Carroll's collegiate success prompted a return to the NFL in 2010 when he was hired as the head coach of the Seahawks. In 14 seasons under Carroll as their coach, the Seahawks qualified for the playoffs 10 times, won their division five times, made two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, and won the franchise's first championship inSuper Bowl XLVIII. In the latter game,Super Bowl XLIX, Carroll has been criticized for his decision to attempt a pass on the one-yard line, which led to a game-losing interception. The team'sLegion of Boom defense led the league in scoring defense for four consecutive seasons during his tenure, and in 2018 he became the Seahawks' winningest coach.[3] Following the 2023 season, Carroll stepped down as head coach to take an advisory position with the Seahawks for one year.[4] He left the organization in 2025 to become head coach of the Raiders.[5]
Carroll was born on September 15, 1951, inSan Francisco, California,[6] the son of Rita (née Ban) and James Edward "Jim" Carroll. Two of his paternal great-grandparents wereIrish immigrants, and hisCroatian maternal grandparents[7] emigrated from around the region ofŠibenik.[citation needed] He was raised inGreenbrae,California, and attended Greenbrae School.[6] Carroll attendedRedwood High School inLarkspur, California.[6]
He was a multi-sport star in football (playingquarterback,wide receiver, anddefensive back),basketball, andbaseball, earning the school's Athlete of the Year honors as a senior in 1969. He was inducted into the charter class of the Redwood High School Athletic Hall of Fame in April 2009.[8][9]
After high school, Carroll attendedjunior college at the nearbyCollege of Marin, where he played football for two years, intercepting 12 passes,[10] before transferring to theUniversity of the Pacific,[11] where he was a member ofSigma Alpha Epsilonfraternity.[12] AtPacific, Carroll playedfree safety for two years for theTigers, earning All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association honors both years (1971–72) and earning hisBachelor of Science inBusiness Administration in 1973.[11] Following his senior season, Carroll was selected as Pacific's recipient of theCharles Erb Jr. Award for Most Inspirational Player, the Tully Knoles Award for Ironman, and the Sid Robinson Award for the team's Most Loyal Player.[13]
Combined between Marin and UOP, Carroll finished his college career with 22 interceptions while alsoreturning punts. After graduation, Carroll tried out for theHonolulu Hawaiians of theWorld Football League at their training camp inRiverside but did not make the team due to shoulder problems combined with his small size.[14][15]
| Season | Team | INT | Ret. Yds. | TD | PR | Ret. Yds. | PR Avg. | LG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971[16] | UOP | 8 | 131 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 |
| 1972[17] | UOP | 2 | 34 | 0 | 24 | 281 | 11.7 | 42 | 0 |
| Totals | 10 | 165 | 0 | 24 | 281 | 11.7 | 42 | 0 |
Carroll's energetic and positive personality made a good impression on hishead coach,Chester Caddas. When Caddas found out Carroll was interested in coaching, he offered him a job as agraduate assistant on his staff atPacific.[11] Carroll agreed and enrolled as a graduate student, earning a secondaryteaching credential andMaster's degree inphysical education in 1976, while serving as a graduate assistant for three years and working with thewide receivers andsecondary defenders. The assistants at Pacific during this time included a number of other future successful coaches, includingGreg Robinson,Jim Colletto,Walt Harris, Ted Leland, andBob Cope.[11] Carroll was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.[18]
After graduating from Pacific, Carroll's colleague Bob Cope was hired by theUniversity of Arkansas and he convincedLou Holtz, then the head coach of theRazorbacks, to also hire Carroll.[11] Carroll spent the 1977 season as a graduate assistant working with the secondary under Cope.[19] During his season with Arkansas, he met his future offensive line coachPat Ruel, also a graduate assistant, as well as the future head coach of the RazorbacksHouston Nutt, who was a backup quarterback. Arkansas' Defensive Coordinator at the time,Monte Kiffin, became a mentor to Carroll.[19] The Razorbacks won the1978 Orange Bowl that season.[20]
The following season, Carroll moved toIowa State University, where he was again an assistant working on the secondary underEarle Bruce.[11] When Bruce moved on toOhio State University, he again hired Carroll to coach the secondary. The Ohio State squad made it to the 1980Rose Bowl where they lost to USC.[21]
When Monte Kiffin was named head coach ofNorth Carolina State University in 1980, he brought Carroll in as hisdefensive coordinator and secondary coach.[22] In 1983, Bob Cope became head coach of Pacific and brought Carroll on as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.[11]
Carroll left Pacific after a year and entered theNFL in 1984 as thedefensive backs coach of theBuffalo Bills. The next year, he moved on to work with theMinnesota Vikings, where he held the same position from 1985-1989.[15] In 1989, he was a candidate for the head coaching position atStanford University; the position went toDennis Green.[23] His success with the Vikings led to his hiring by theNew York Jets, where he served as defensive coordinator underBruce Coslet from 1990-1993. Carroll and Coslet had known each other for many years by that time, as Carroll's older brother was Coslet's college roommate.[24] When there was an opening for the Vikings' head coach position in 1992, he was a serious candidate but lost the position, again to Green.[15]
In1994, Carroll was elevated to head coach of the Jets. Known for his energy and youthful enthusiasm, Carroll painted a basketball court in the parking lot of the team's practice facility where he and his assistant coaches regularly played three-on-three games during their spare time.[25] The Jets got off to a 6–5 start under Carroll, but in Week 12, he was the victim ofDan Marino's "clock play"—a fake spike that became aMiami Dolphins game-winning touchdown. The Jets lost all of their remaining games to finish 6–10. He was fired after one season.[25][26][27]
Carroll was hired for the next season by theSan Francisco 49ers, where he served as defensive coordinator for the following two seasons (1995–96). His return to success as the defensive coordinator led to his hiring as the head coach of theNew England Patriots in1997, replacing coachBill Parcells, who had resigned after disputes with the team's ownership. His 1997 Patriots team won theAFC East division title, but his subsequent two teams did not fare as well—losing in thewild card playoff round in1998, and missing the playoffs after a late-season slide in 1999—and he was fired after the1999 season. Patriots ownerRobert Kraft said firing Carroll was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make since buying the team, stating, "A lot of things were going on that made it difficult for him to stay, some of which were out of his control. And it began with following a legend."[25] His combined NFL record as a head coach was 33–31, and he was later considered a much better fit for college football than the NFL after his success at USC.[28][29]
Even though several NFL teams approached him with defensive coordinator positions, Carroll instead spent the 2000 season as a consultant for pro and college teams, doing charitable work for the NFL, and writing a column about pro football forCNNSI.com.[23][30]
Carroll was named theTrojans' head coach on December 15, 2000, signing a five-year contract after USC had gone through a tumultuous 18-day search to replace fired coachPaul Hackett.[31][32][33] He was not the Trojans' first choice, and was considered a long shot as the USC Athletic Department under DirectorMike Garrett initially planned to hire a high-profile coach with recent college experience.[34] Meanwhile, Carroll, who had not coached in over a year and not coached in the college ranks since 1983, drew unfavorable comparisons to the outgoing Hackett.[33][35][36]
USC first pursued then-Oregon State coachDennis Erickson, who instead signed a contract extension with the Beavers; thenOregon coachMike Bellotti, who similarly signed an extension.[34] The search then moved to theSan Diego Chargers coachMike Riley, who had been an assistant coach at USC before later becoming the head coach of Oregon State. Stuck in contractual obligations to the Chargers (who were still in the midst of an NFL season) and hesitant about moving his family, Riley was unable to give a firm answer, opening an opportunity for Carroll, the school's fourth choice.[34][36]
Carroll actively pursued the position, as his daughter, Jaime, was then a player on the school's successfulvolleyball team.[34] After the first three primary candidates turned down the position, USC hired Carroll. Under Garrett, USC had tried to recruit Carroll to be their head coach in 1997, while he was coaching the Patriots, but Carroll was unable to take the position.[32] The second time the opening came up,Daryl Gross, then senior associate athletic director for USC, recommended Carroll to Garrett based on his experience as a former scout for the New York Jets while Carroll coached there.[37][38] Garrett cited Carroll's intelligence, energy and reputation as a defensive specialist as reasons for his hire.[32]
The choice of Carroll for USC's head coaching position was openly criticized by the media and many USC fans, primarily because of USC's stagnation under the outgoing Hackett and Carroll's record as a head coach in the NFL and being nearly two decades removed from the college level.[32][35][37][39][40][41] Garrett took particular criticism for the hire, with the press tying his future with Carroll's after he had to fire two head coaches in four years for USC's premiere athletic coaching position.[42] Former NFL players (including USC alumni) such asRonnie Lott,Gary Plummer,Tim McDonald andWillie McGinest offered their support for Carroll, who they noted had a player-friendly, easygoing style that might suit the college game and particularlyrecruiting.[25][32][36] The USC Athletic Department received 2,500 e-mails, faxes and phone calls from alumni—mostly critical—and a number of donors asking for Carroll's removal before they would donate again.
Within a year of his hiring, many prominent critics reversed course.[37][43] In 2008, ESPN.com named Carroll's hiring number 1 in a list of the Pac-10's top ten moments of theBCS era.[44]
The criticism of Carroll became louder when Carroll's first USC team opened the2001 season going 2–5, with some sportswriters writing off the once-dominant Trojans, who were the only Pac-10 football team to never finish in the national top 10 during the previous decade, as a dying program.[39][45] After the slow start, Carroll's teams went 67–7 over the next 74 games, winning two national championships and playing for another.[46]
Carroll was considered one of the most effective recruiters in college football, having brought in multiple top-ranked recruiting classes;[47][48] he was also known for getting commitments from nationally prominent players early in high school.[49] His son,Brennan Carroll, was USC's recruiting coordinator as well as the tight ends coach during the elder Carroll's tenure as head coach.[49] He had consistently been on the forefront of recruiting due to his ability to connect with potential players on their level, including becoming the first college coach with aFacebook page, as well as an early adopter ofTwitter.[50][51]
Carroll's team won a then-school record 34 straight games from 2003 to 2005, a streak that started after a triple-overtime loss toCalifornia and ended with the national championship game against theTexas Longhorns in the2006 Rose Bowl.[52] Fourteen of those games were later vacated for breaking NCAA rules. During his tenure, USC broke its average home attendance record four times in a row (they play at theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum); the USC home attendance average in 2001, his first season, was 57,744; by 2006, it was over 91,000. During this period, USC had a 35-game winning streak at the Coliseum, spanning 6 years (2001–2007). The streak began on October 13, 2001, with a 48–17 win over theArizona State Sun Devils and the final victory was a 47–14 win over theWashington State Cougars on September 22, 2007. The streak ended on October 6, 2007, with a 24–23 loss to theStanford Cardinal who was a 41-point underdog. Prior to this the last loss was on September 29, 2001, (during Carroll's first year) toStanford Cardinal 21–16. The success of USC football under Carroll led to a sharp rise in overall athletic department revenue, growing from $38.6 million in Carroll's first season at USC to more than $76 million in 2007–08.[53]
Controversy arose when USC was excluded from the National Championship Game for the 2003 season, even though ranked #1 in both the Associated Press (AP) Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.[54] Years later, (2008) he was asked if winning the Rose Bowl was ever not enough. "No. You've got to understand that our mindset is to focus only on what we can control. We can only control getting to the Rose Bowl. Winning our conference and going to the Rose Bowl is what our goal is every year. Our goal isn't about national championships, because we don't have control of that – that's in somebody else's hands. We found that out years ago [2003], when we were No. 1 but then we were No. 3. We already knew that but that just proved it. If we win our games and we're out there and they want us to go somewhere else, then we'll go. We love the Rose Bowl."[55]
Carroll was repeatedly approached regarding vacant head coach positions in the NFL beginning in 2002.[23][56][57][58] Carroll hesitated to return to the NFL after his previous experiences, and said that his return would likely rest on control over personnel matters at a level unprecedented in the league. He had insisted over the years that he was happy at USC and that money was not an issue; he also was said to enjoy the Southern California lifestyle.[59] When asked if he would retire at USC, Carroll responded:
I am prepared to do that. That's the way I look at it, like this is the last job I'm ever going to have. I approach it that way. Now, whether it is or not, I don't know. Someone asked me the other day, 'Does that mean you're never going to leave?' Why do people want to make you say that? I have no idea, but I can't imagine doing anything else. It's a great place to be. I've been so lucky and fortunate. I owe so much to the school and the people who follow it. And the guys who played for us. I love being here.[60]
When originally hired, Carroll signed a five-year contract worth approximately $1 million annually. He received a significant raise after the2002 season and earned close to $3 million in the2004 season, which ended with USC winning the BCS title in January 2005. He agreed to a contract extension in December 2005.[53] His total compensation, including pay and benefits, for the 2007 fiscal year was $4,415,714.[61]
On January 11, 2010, it was reported that Carroll would be leaving USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll had told his players the previous evening that he would be resigning his position with the Trojans to become the new head coach of the Seahawks. According to theLos Angeles Times, Carroll came to agreement with the Seahawks on a 5-year, $33 million contract to become head coach.[62]
As head coach, Pete Carroll led a resurgence of football at the University of Southern California. Carroll was generally regarded as one of the top college football coaches in the country,[48][63][64] and has been compared toCollege Football Hall of Fame coachKnute Rockne.[65][66] Program highlights under Carroll include:
In July 2007,ESPN.com named USC its #1 team of the decade for the period between 1996 and 2006, primarily citing the Trojans' renaissance and dominance under Carroll.[68][69] In 2007, his effect on the college football landscape was named one of the biggest developments over the past decade inESPN the Magazine.[70] In May 2008, Carroll was named the coach who did the most to define the first 10 years of the BCS Era.[71]
In July 2014, Carroll was announced as a member of the 2015 USC Athletic Hall of Fame class.[72]
On June 9, 2010,The Los Angeles Times reported that Carroll, along with other active and former USC officials, had appeared in front of a ten-member NCAA Committee on Infractions the previous February.[73] The next day, June 10, the NCAA announced sanctions against the USC football program including a two-year bowl ban, the elimination of thirty football scholarships, and forfeiture of some football victories from 2004 to 2005 (a season which had included winning theBowl Championship Series title), and all team victories from the undefeated 2005–06 regular season, when USC lost to Texas in the BCS title game.[74] With the vacated games removed, Carroll drops to fourth on USC's all-time wins list, behindJohn McKay,Howard Jones andJohn Robinson. His 97 on-field wins would put him ahead of Robinson for third in Trojan history.
The allegations centered on former Trojan starReggie Bush. Bush was found to have accepted several improper gifts, including the use of a San Diego area home for members of his family. It was reported that USC might appeal the sanctions.[73] These sanctions have been criticized by some NCAA football writers,[75][76][77][78] includingESPN's Ted Miller, who wrote, "It's become an accepted fact among informed college football observers that the NCAA sanctions against USC were a travesty of justice, and the NCAA's refusal to revisit that travesty are [sic] a massive act of cowardice on the part of the organization."[79]
After Carroll announced that he was leaving for the Seahawks, he denied the possibility that the NCAA sanctions were a factor in his leaving USC to return to pro football in Seattle. "Not in any way," Carroll stated, "because I know where we stand. It's just a process we have to go through. We know we've fought hard to do right."[80] Carroll was hired before the sanctions were announced.[81]
Reacting to the USC sanctions in a video produced by his new employers, Carroll said on June 10, 2010, "I'm absolutely shocked and disappointed in the findings of the NCAA."[82] He said in 2014 during a visit to USC, "I thought [the NCAA's investigation into USC] was dealt with poorly and very irrationally and done with way too much emotion instead of facts. I sat in the meetings. I listened to the people talk. I listened to the venom that they had for our program... They tried to make it out like it was something else. They made a terrible error."[83] In 2015, he said, "We had so much success and we had so much fun doing it, it was uncommon for people to understand. ... I think it rubbed people the wrong way. There was such a bitterness."[84]
WroteLos Angeles Times sportswriter Jerry Crowe, "It's somehow apt that the Trojans were asked to return theGrantland Rice Trophy after being stripped of the 2004 Football Writers Assn. of America national championship...Grantland Rice was the legendary early 20th century sportswriter who wrote, 'When the great scorer comes/to mark against your name/He'll write not 'won' or 'lost'/but how you played the game.'"[85]
Among Carroll's critics in the media was longtimeLos Angeles Times sportswriterBill Plaschke, who said that in one stroke, Carroll went
from a coach who presided over the greatest days in USC football history to one who was in charge of its biggest embarrassment. He goes from saint to scallywag. Carroll says he didn't know about the Bush violations. That now seems impossible... ...he made $33 million from violations that will cost his old school its reputation, and folks here will never look at him the same.[86]
Sporting News writerMike Florio called for the Seahawks to fire Carroll, saying that "justice won't truly be served until the only coaching Carroll ever does entails holding an Xbox controller."[87]
On August 26, 2010, theFootball Writers Association of America announced it would take back USC's 2004 Grantland Rice Trophy and leave that year's award vacant, the only vacancy in the over half century of the history of the award. The FWAA also said it would not consider USC as a candidate for the award for the 2010 season. New USC athletic directorPat Haden said USC would return the trophy, stating, "While we know that some fans and former student-athletes may be disappointed, our central priority at this time is our overall commitment to compliance and this action is in line with the standards we have set for our entire athletic program."[88]
After theSeattle Seahawks fired head coachJim L. Mora after the2009 season, Carroll was rumored to be in the running for the job.[89] On January 8, 2010, it was reported that Carroll was about to be hired as head coach of the Seahawks; the two parties were hammering out "minor details" in the pending contract.[90] According to theLos Angeles Times, Carroll was "close to reaching an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday evening."[91] On the morning of January 9, 2010, Carroll reportedly came to agreement with the Seahawks on a five-year contract that would appoint him as head coach.[89] He was officially hired as the Seahawks' head coach on January 11.[62] He was also named executive vice president of football operations, effectively making him the Seahawks'general manager as well. While the Seahawks had a general manager inJohn Schneider, he served mainly in an advisory role to Carroll, who had the final say in football matters.[92]
In his first season, Carroll almost completely overturned the Seahawks roster, totaling over 200 transactions in the course of only one season, including trading for running backMarshawn Lynch from theBuffalo Bills after three games.[93][94] These moves paved the way for a 4–2 start to the2010 season.[95] Although Seattle faltered through the latter half of the season, the team beat theirNFC West division rivalSt. Louis Rams in the final week of the regular season for the division championship, becoming the first 7–9 team in NFL history to win a division title.[96] Carroll made even more history as the Seahawks later upset the reigningSuper Bowl ChampionsNew Orleans Saints by a score of 41–36 during the wild-card round of the playoffs, Lynch and the famedBeast Quake run.[97] The following week atSoldier Field inChicago, Illinois, they then fell to theChicago Bears, whom they had defeated earlier in the season, in theDivisional Round by a score of 35–24.[98]
In2011, Carroll again coached the Seahawks to a 7–9 record,[99] but it was not enough to secure a playoff spot due to the ascendance of Carroll's oldcollege rival coachJim Harbaugh and division rivalSan Francisco 49ers, who finished with a 13–3 record.[100] It was the first season the Seahawks had a starting quarterback other thanMatt Hasselbeck in over a decade.[101]
In his third season with the Seahawks in2012, Carroll, along with rookie quarterbackRussell Wilson, led the team to an 11–5 record, including going undefeated at home.[102] Additionally, the defense, led by the secondary ofRichard Sherman,Kam Chancellor andEarl Thomas, began to solidify and garnered the nickname the "Legion of Boom".[103] The 2012 season was Carroll's first winning season for the team. The Seahawks were also involved incontroversy during Week 3'sMonday Night Football game against theGreen Bay Packers in Seattle, when the replacement officials called two different results for Russell Wilson'sHail Mary pass to wide receiverGolden Tate. The officials called the play in the Seahawks' favor, igniting a national outrage about the officiating.[104][105] When the NFL referee lockout ended several days later,NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell acknowledged that public furor over the call accelerated the eventual resolution of the labor dispute.[106] Carroll's record was enough to post the team's second playoff berth, and the Seahawks won theirWild Card Round game on the road against theWashington Redskins and fellow rookie quarterbackRobert Griffin III, 24–14.[107] Seattle lost the following week in theDivisional Round to theAtlanta Falcons at theGeorgia Dome by a score of 30–28.[108]
The Seattle Seahawks 2013 season began with four consecutive preseason wins,[109] and commentators had them as one of the key favorites in the NFC.[110] The regular season began with a 12–7 victory against theCarolina Panthers.[111] The prior year's NFC Champions and divisional rival, theSan Francisco 49ers, were blown out by the Seahawks, 29–3.[112] Winning out September, they visited theIndianapolis Colts in Indianapolis and suffered their first loss, on October 6.[113] That was the only loss that the team suffered until December. Heading to San Francisco for their second match-up against their divisional foe, the Seahawks had the best record in the NFC at 11–1. The game was in stark contrast to their first in September, as the 49ers (9–4 at that point) edged out a 19–17 win, which dropped Seattle to 11–2.[114] The penultimate game, against theArizona Cardinals, was Seattle's attempt to continue their at-home winning streak to 15 games (record started in Week 2 of the 2012 season). Although the Seahawks had won their three prior meetings, including one earlier in the year, the Cardinals had steadily improved during the season. The at-home win streak did not reach 15. The Cardinals won, and Seattle suffered its third loss of the year.[115] They bounced back against theSt. Louis Rams in their finale to finish at 13–3 and finish a game above both San Francisco and Carolina, who each had twelve wins.[116] The number one team (and playoff seed) in the NFC, Carroll matchedMike Holmgren's2005 season of the same record, tying for the best in Seattle history.[117] The Seahawks defeated theNew Orleans Saints in theDivisional Round of the playoffs by a score of 23–15.[118] In theNFC Championship Game, cornerbackRichard Sherman tipped aColin Kaepernick pass into the waiting arms ofMalcolm Smith to secure a 23–17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.[119] The moment has been referred to as both "The Tip" and the "Immaculate Deflection".
On February 2, 2014, Carroll led the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl win in franchise history after defeating theDenver Broncos, 43–8, inSuper Bowl XLVIII.[120] Carroll joinedBarry Switzer andJimmy Johnson as the only coaches to win both anNCAA championship and aSuper Bowl.[121] At age 62, Carroll was then the third-oldest coach to win a Super Bowl.Tom Coughlin was 65 when theNew York Giants wonSuper Bowl XLVI andDick Vermeil was 63 when theSt. Louis Rams wonSuper Bowl XXXIV.[122]
The following season in2014, the Seahawks started off their quest to repeat as champions with a 36–16 defeat of theGreen Bay Packers onThursday Night Football in thefirst game of the NFL season.[123] A Super Bowl XLVIII rematch came in Week 3, with Seattle again defeatingPeyton Manning and theDenver Broncos, 26–20 in overtime.[124] Losses to theSan Diego Chargers,Dallas Cowboys,St. Louis Rams, andKansas City Chiefs caused the Seahawks to start the season with a 6–4 record,[125] three games behind the division leadingArizona Cardinals. After a team meeting following a Week 11 loss, the Seahawks finished the regular season 6–0 to finish with a 12–4 record. As the #1 seed in the playoffs, the Seahawks beat theCarolina Panthers in theDivisional Round, 31–17, to get to their second straight NFC Championship.[126] After trailing 19–7 to the Green Bay Packers with just over two minutes remaining in theNFC Championship, the Seahawks launched a furious comeback to force overtime. On the first possession of overtime,Russell Wilson hit wide receiverJermaine Kearse for a game-winning touchdown that sent the Seahawks to their second straight Super Bowl.[127] On February 1, 2015, Carroll's Seahawks lostSuper Bowl XLIX to Carroll's former team, theNew England Patriots, 28–24. With 25 seconds to go on second down and goal at the Patriots' 1-yard line, and the Seahawks trailing by four points, Carroll called for a pass play. Wilson's pass was intercepted by Patriots cornerbackMalcolm Butler on the goal line, and the Patriots ran out the clock.[128] Some have called Carroll's play-call on the play the worst in NFL history[129][130][131] and the decision has otherwise remained broadly controversial.[132][133] Carroll defended his decision in an interview in 2023[134] despite previously having taken accountability for the team's failure to win that game.[135]
The Seahawks began the2015 season by blowing fourth quarter leads to theSt. Louis Rams,[136]Green Bay Packers,[137]Cincinnati Bengals,[138]Carolina Panthers,[139] andArizona Cardinals.[140] After losing at home onNBC Sunday Night Football to the division leading Cardinals, Seattle sat at 4–5. The Seahawks then won their next five games, putting them at 9–5 and clinching a playoff berth.[141] Russell Wilson became the first quarterback to throw 19 or more touchdown passes without any interceptions over five or more wins. The Seahawks ended the regular season with a revengeful win against the Arizona Cardinals, beating the NFC West champions 36–6 on the road.[142] Seattle entered the postseason as the #6 seed, winning itsWild Card Round against theMinnesota Vikings after Vikings kickerBlair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal for a final score of 10–9.[143] The Seahawks later fell to the Carolina Panthers in theDivisional Round 31–24, after being down 31–0 at the half, and as a result, the Seahawks did not reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.[144]
On July 25, 2016, Carroll signed a three-year contract extension with the Seahawks that would keep him in Seattle through the 2019 season. Carroll's Seahawks once again had high expectations leading into the 2016 season, but injuries to key players on both sides of the ball eventually became too much to overcome. The Seahawks were able to start the season with a 4–1 record,[145] despiteRussell Wilson playing with a hurt ankle sustained in the season opener against theMiami Dolphins.[146] In Week 10, the Seahawks travelled toNew England to play the Patriots for the first time since the Super Bowl XLIX loss, and came away with a 31–24 victory to push the Seahawks to 6–2–1.[147] Carroll notched his 100th regular-season win the following week against thePhiladelphia Eagles.[148][149] The Seahawks clinched the NFC West in Week 15, following a 24–3 victory over theLos Angeles Rams.[150] It was Carroll's fourth NFC West division title in his seven seasons with the team, and sixth playoff appearance. In theWild Card Round, the Seahawks dominated theDetroit Lions in a 26–6 victory.[151] The victory extended Seattle's playoff home game win streak to 10 consecutive wins, 6 of which have come under Carroll. The Seahawks were eliminated in theDivisional Round for the second straight year in 2016, losing 36–20 to theAtlanta Falcons.[152] In his season-ending press conference, Carroll revealed that cornerbackRichard Sherman had been playing with a "significant" MCL injury, which attracted attention because Sherman had not been listed on the injury report throughout the season.[153]
In 2017, his eighth season with the Seahawks, Carroll led the team to a 9–7 record.[154] The team finished second in the NFC West but missed out on the playoffs for only the second time in Carroll's time with the Seahawks.[155] Following the season, the Legion of Boom would disband with Sherman leaving the team and Chancellor retiring.[156]
In the 2018 season, Carroll helped lead the Seahawks to a 10–6 record and a second-place finish in the NFC West.[157] The team returned to the playoffs, where they lost 24–22 to theDallas Cowboys in theWild Card Round.[158] On October 14, 2018, Carroll reached win number 91 over theOakland Raiders, becoming the Seahawks' all-time wins leader (including postseason), passingMike Holmgren with a record of 91–56–1 at that point.[159]
On September 15, 2019, which was his 68th birthday, Carroll won his 100th game as the Seahawks head coach, defeating thePittsburgh Steelers 28–26.[160] Carroll's Seahawks finished the season at 11–5, finishing second in the NFC West behind the 13–3San Francisco 49ers.[161][162] As a fifth seed in theplayoffs, the Seahawks defeated thePhiladelphia Eagles 17–9 in theWild Card Round, before being eliminated in theDivisional Round by theGreen Bay Packers 28–23.[163][164] Carroll coached the NFC team in the2020 Pro Bowl.[165]
During the 2020 offseason, Carroll, along withNew England Patriots head coachBill Belichick were named as coaches for theNFL 2010s All-Decade Team.[166]
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Carroll was finedUS$100,000 by the NFL for not properly wearing aface mask, as required for coaches during theCOVID-19 pandemic, during a Week 2 game in the2020 NFL season on September 21, 2020.[167] On November 8, 2020, Carroll and the Seahawks agreed to a four-year contract extension.[168] They ended the season with a 12–4 record and won their first division title since 2016, but lost to theLos Angeles Rams in theWild Card Round 30–20.[169][170]
Carroll and the Seahawks named Rams passing game coordinatorShane Waldron to the offensive coordinator position in2021. Under Waldron, Seattle's offense got off to a hot start, with quarterback Russell Wilson completing 18 of 23 passes for 254 yards and four touchdowns as the Seahawks won 28–16 to theIndianapolis Colts, finishing with a passer rating of 152.3.[171] The following week against theTennessee Titans, the Seahawks lost 33–30 in overtime, after blowing a 30–16 lead in the fourth quarter.[172] In Week 3 against theMinnesota Vikings, the Seahawks raced to a 17–7 lead early in the second quarter before their offense was shut out by the Vikings for the rest of the game; Seattle lost 30–17.[173] In Week 5 against theLos Angeles Rams onThursday Night Football, quarterback Russell Wilson broke his finger on a sack by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, and he was ruled out as backupGeno Smith relieved him in the 26–17 loss.[174]
Wilson was placed on injured reserve later that same day, missing a start for the first time in his NFL career.[175] Carroll and the Seahawks went 1–2 in Wilson's absence before hitting the bye week.[176] Wilson was activated off injured reserve on November 12 ahead of their game against theGreen Bay Packers.[177] Wilson and the Seahawks were blanked in the 17–0 loss for the first time since he became their starting quarterback, completing just 20 of 40 passes for 161 yards and two interceptions.[178]
Carroll's Seahawks rallied to finish the season by winning four of their final six games, with one loss coming by just one point.[179] During the season, the Seahawks' first such losing season since 2011, Carroll candidly admitted to the media that he "probably wouldn't have been here a long time" without his longtime starting quarterback.[180] Despite the disappointing season, it was reported on January 16, 2022, that Carroll and general manager John Schneider would retain their jobs for the next year.[181]
In the offseason, Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos.[182] Carroll later named Geno Smith the starter for the regular season opener, which would be against Wilson and the Broncos.[183] In Week 1, the Seahawks defeated the Broncos 17–16 onMonday Night Football.[184] Carroll led the Seahawks to a surprise 9–8 finish and an appearance in the playoffs.[185] The Seahawks' season ended in theWild Card Round with a 41–23 loss to theSan Francisco 49ers.[186]
In 2023, Carroll again led the Seahawks to a 9–8 record,[187] but Seattle was eliminated from the playoffs on the last day of the season; theGreen Bay Packers, who had an identical record but held the playoff tiebreaker over the Seahawks, won over theChicago Bears in the final game.[188]
On January 10, 2024, Carroll and the Seahawks mutually agreed that he would step down from his head coaching role.[189]Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinatorMike Macdonald was named as his successor later that month; he stated that he wanted to maintain the team culture first built by Carroll. Macdonald was half of Carroll's age upon his hiring, resulting in the Seahawks going from having the oldest head coach in the league to the youngest.[190]
After stepping down as head coach, Carroll remained with the Seahawks organization but was moved to an advisor role.[4] During the2024 preseason, Carroll stated that he had little to do with the Seahawks, aside from watching a few of the preseason games on television, feeling it was the right thing to do to let them go. He also said that aside from a brief greeting in the parking lot, he had no contact with Macdonald, in order to let him build the team in his own vision.[191] The two had a non-business encounter during the middle of the season at an NBA preseason game atClimate Pledge Arena. Macdonald attended the event with members of the Seahawks front office, and upon learning that Carroll was there as well, decided to greet his predecessor and exchange pleasantries.[192]
On January 25, 2025, Carroll was hired as the head coach of theLas Vegas Raiders,[5] departing Seattle after 15 years with the Seahawks organization. On March 13, 2025, the Raiders traded forGeno Smith, reuniting Carroll with his former Seahawks quarterback.[193]
Upon coaching his first game for the Raiders in a 20–13 victory over theNew England Patriots, he became the oldest head coach in NFL history, having coached his second game with the team a week later on his 74th birthday.[194]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| NYJ | 1994 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5th of AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NYJ total | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
| NE | 1997 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in AFC East | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toPittsburgh Steelers inAFC Divisional Game |
| NE | 1998 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4th in AFC East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toJacksonville Jaguars inAFC Wild Card Game |
| NE | 1999 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4th in AFC East | — | — | — | — |
| NE total | 27 | 21 | 0 | .563 | 1 | 2 | .333 | |||
| SEA | 2010 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1st in NFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toChicago Bears inNFC Divisional Game |
| SEA | 2011 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SEA | 2012 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in NFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toAtlanta Falcons inNFC Divisional Game |
| SEA | 2013 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 1st in NFC West | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XLVIII champions |
| SEA | 2014 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in NFC West | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost toNew England Patriots inSuper Bowl XLIX |
| SEA | 2015 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in NFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toCarolina Panthers inNFC Divisional Game |
| SEA | 2016 | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 1st in NFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toAtlanta Falcons inNFC Divisional Game |
| SEA | 2017 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SEA | 2018 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in NFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toDallas Cowboys inNFC Wild Card Game |
| SEA | 2019 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in NFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toGreen Bay Packers inNFC Divisional Game |
| SEA | 2020 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in NFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toLos Angeles Rams inNFC Wild Card Game |
| SEA | 2021 | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 4th in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SEA | 2022 | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 2nd in NFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toSan Francisco 49ers inNFC Wild Card Game |
| SEA | 2023 | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3rd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| SEA total | 137 | 89 | 1 | .606 | 10 | 9 | .526 | |||
| LV | 2025 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | TBD in AFC West | — | — | — | — |
| LV total | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
| Total[29] | 172 | 128 | 1 | .573 | 11 | 11 | .500 | |||
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC Trojans(Pacific-10 Conference)(2001–2009) | |||||||||
| 2001 | USC | 6–6 | 5–3 | 5th | LLas Vegas | ||||
| 2002 | USC | 11–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | WOrange† | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2003 | USC | 12–1 | 7–1 | 1st | WRose† | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2004 | USC | 13–0[d] | 8–0[d] | 1st | V[e]Orange† | 1 | 1[f] | ||
| 2005 | USC | 12–1[g] | 8–0[g] | 1st | LRose† | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2006 | USC | 11–2 | 7–2 | T–1st | WRose† | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2007 | USC | 11–2 | 7–2 | T–1st | WRose† | 2 | 3 | ||
| 2008 | USC | 12–1 | 8–1 | 1st | WRose† | 2 | 3 | ||
| 2009 | USC | 9–4 | 5–4 | T–5th | WEmerald | 20 | 22 | ||
| USC: | 97–19 | 62–14 | |||||||
| Total: | 97–19 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Carroll has worked under ten head coaches:
Seventeen of Carroll's assistant coaches became NFL or NCAA head coaches:
Seven of Carroll's executives became general managers in the NFL:
One of Carroll's former players became NFL or NCAA head coaches:
On offense, Carroll is known for using aggressive play-calling that is open to trick plays as well as "going for it" on 4th down instead of punting the ball away.[232] Because of his aggressive style, the USC band gave him the nickname "Big Balls Pete". At USC home games, when Carroll decided to go for it on 4th down, the USC band would start a chant of "Big Balls Pete" that carried over to the students section and the alumni.[233][234][235]
On defense, Carroll favors a bend-but-don't-break scheme of preventing the big plays: allowing opposing teams to get small yardage but trying to keep the plays in front of his defenders.[236]
Carroll draws coaching inspiration from the 1974 bookThe Inner Game of Tennis by tennis coachW. Timothy Gallwey, which he picked up as graduate student at the University of the Pacific; he summarizes the philosophy he took from the book as "all about clearing the clutter in the interactions between your conscious and subconscious mind", enabled "through superior practice and a clear approach. Focus, clarity and belief in yourself are what allows[sic] you to express your ability without discursive thoughts and concerns."[237] He wrote aforeword for a later edition, noting that athletes "must clear their minds of all confusion and earn the ability to let themselves play freely."[38] He also cites influences frompsychologistsAbraham Maslow andCarl Jung,Buddhistmeditation masterChögyam Trungpa, andZen masterD. T. Suzuki.[233]
| "Reading Wooden, I realized: If I'm gonna be a competitor, if I'm ever going to do great things, I'm going to have to carry a message that's strong and clear and nobody's going to miss the point ever about what I'm all about. . . . Jerry Garcia said that he didn't want his band to be the best ones doing something. He wanted them to be the only ones doing it. To be all by yourself out there doing something that nobody else can touch — that's the thought that guides me, that guides this program: We're going to do things better than it's ever been done before in everything we do, and we're going to compete our ass off. And we're gonna see how far that takes us." |
| — Carroll on howJohn Wooden andJerry Garcia influenced his coaching philosophy.[233] |
After he was fired by the New England Patriots, Carroll read a book by formerUCLA basketball coachJohn Wooden which heavily influenced how he later ran his program at USC: emulating Wooden, Carroll decided to engineer his program in the way that best exemplified his personal philosophy. He decided his philosophy was best summarized as "I'm a competitor".[233] As a fan of theGrateful Dead, Carroll then tied Wooden's thoughts into those byJerry Garcia, and decided that he wanted his football program to not be the best, but the only program following his competitive philosophy.[233]
Carroll is known for his high-energy and often pleasant demeanor when coaching.[38][238][239] In explaining his enthusiasm, Carroll has stated, "I always think something good's just about to happen."[47] In a 2005 interview, Carroll explained his motivation:
I feel like I should be playing now. What really pissed me off was going to the WFL (World Football League) and getting cut and having the NFL go on strike and not being able to get a connection with thescabs (replacement players). Just one game and I think I would have been happy. Absolutely it was a motivator for me later in life. It's one of the biggest reasons I've been coaching all these years. I tell the players all the time, I wish I was doing what they were doing.[15]
Carroll has been known to plan elaborate surprises and pranks during practice to lighten the mood and reward the players; notable examples include using aHalloween practice to stage a fake argument and subsequent falling death of running backLenDale White, having defensive endEverson Griffen arrested by theLos Angeles Police Department during a team meeting for "physically abusing" freshman offensive linemen, and several pranks involving USC alumnus and comedic actorWill Ferrell.[240][241][242][243][244][245][246][247] During practices, Carroll frequently gets involved doing drills: running sprints and routes as well as throwing the ball.[38][248] Under Carroll, nearly all USC practices were open to the public, a move that was uncommon among programs; he believed that having fans at practice helped his team prepare, making mundane drills seem more interesting, causing players to perform at a high level when they know they have an audience and preparing them for larger crowds on game days.[249]
Despite his penchant for humor, Carroll's USC program had strictly prescribed routines that covered what players were allowed to eat, the vocabulary they used, and the theme of daily practices. Under his tenure, days had descriptive nicknames like Tell the Truth Monday, Competition Tuesday, Turnover Wednesday.[233]
Carroll favorably compared collegerecruiting to any other competition, and enjoys the ability to recruit talent, which he was unable to do in the NFL. He likens being a college head coach to being both the "coach andgeneral manager."[38]
After moving to Los Angeles, Carroll was affected by the number ofgang-related murders taking place in poorer areas. In April 2003, Carroll helped organize a meeting with political leaders, high-ranking law enforcement officials and representatives from social service, education and faith-based communities at USC's Heritage Hall for a brainstorming session. The result was the founding of A Better LA, a charity devoted to reducing violence in targeted urban areas of Los Angeles.[250][251]
In April 2009, Carroll launched CampPete.com, a multi-player online game "billed as a ground-breaking Web site aimed at bringing Coach Carroll's unique Win Forever philosophy to kids all over the country by taking advantage of one of the hottest technology trends online, the virtual world."[252] The site, which can be accessed by creating a virtual avatar, includes arcade-style games, motivational messages from Coach Carroll and a sports trivia section as well as a collection of virtual football skills workshops for kids.[253] A portion of the proceeds from CampPete.com go to support A Better LA.[254][255]
Carroll and his wife, Glena, have three children,Brennan, Jaime, andNate.[256] Brennan and Nate have been part of theSeattle Seahawks coaching staff and currently work as assistants under Carroll with theLas Vegas Raiders.[257][258]
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