Ex-Seahawks Coach Carroll Thrilled for Exciting New Opportunities

Pete Carroll, the renowned former head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and the USC Trojans, is contemplating a return to his roots at USC. During a recent interview on Sports Radio 93.3 KJR-FM, he announced plans to teach a class at the university this spring, though he withheld specific details regarding the course.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Carroll expressed. “It’s going to be a really exciting endeavor when it’s finalized and all that.”

This appearance marked Carroll’s first engagement with local media since his farewell press conference at Seahawks headquarters in January. Following a transition announcement from team owner Jody Allen, Carroll has shifted into an advisory role. However, reports suggest his involvement with the organization has been minimal, as he noted that he has maintained a distance from the team.

Despite stepping back from the Seahawks, Carroll mentioned he would still be advising “some other clubs,” without divulging specific names. He did clarify that these organizations are not involved in football. Recently, he participated in a basketball tournament on an American military base in Kuwait, which he said reinforced his commitment to give back and engage in meaningful activities.

“I’m excited about it because there’s more stuff to teach,” he stated. “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 exciting opportunities to do some really cool stuff for others, so I’m going to keep working that way and see what happens.”

Carroll shared that he has had limited interactions with the Seahawks’ new coaching staff, aside from a chance meeting with his successor, Mike Macdonald, in a parking lot. He remarked, “I haven’t talked to those guys at all. I ran into Mike one day, and it was a great chance to meet, say hey and move on. I haven’t had much to do with them in any way, and really I’m just watching the games a little bit when I see them on TV.”

He acknowledged that it feels right to let the new coaching staff find their footing. “I’m not paying that much attention to it because it just feels like it’s the right thing to do to let them go,” he explained. Carroll expressed confidence in the new staff’s abilities, saying, “I know that they have a good group around them to build on and it sounds like they’ve done some really good things. I’m purposely staying away from it and I’m not visiting with them at all.”

At 72, Carroll has a storied coaching career that includes leading USC from 2001 to 2009 before taking over the Seahawks for a successful 14-year tenure. He holds the distinction of being one of only three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship.

While Carroll hasn’t ruled out the possibility of coaching again in the future, he emphasized that he currently does not feel the urge to pursue that path. “I get asked it a lot and I’m pretty familiar with the answer now,” he said. “I could coach tomorrow. I’m physically in the best shape I’ve been in a long time. I’m ready to do all the activities that I’m doing and feeling really good about it.” Despite this readiness, he reiterated, “I don’t really — I’m not desiring it at this point.”

As he reflects on his extensive coaching journey, which spans nearly five decades, Carroll remains focused on new opportunities and experiences. “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,” he added. “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.”