Pete Carroll, the oldest coach in the NFL at 67 years old, will earn $11 million per season after a contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks.
“The organization has been exceedingly good to me throughout the whole time we’ve been here,” Carroll said. “And they’ve continued to take that position, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Carroll guided the Seattle Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. He has a record of 88-54-1 since joining the Seahawks in 2010. Earlier this season, Carroll passed Mike Holmgren for most wins in franchise history.
Team owner, Paul Allen, passed away earlier this season. The team is currently owned by the estate of Paul G. Allen, which approved of Carroll’s contract extension.
Smells Like a Wild Card
The Seahawks are 9-6 this season and cliched a Wild Card playoff berth with a stunning victory over Patrick Mahomes and the high-octane Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16. The Seahawks are currently the #5 seed in the NFC.
Carroll took the Seahawks to the playoffs during a rebuilding year, which is why this season is considered one of his greatest performances as a head coach.
“There’s an emotion to it that’s deep, and it’s because there wasn’t very many people that thought we could do this. Most everybody thought we didn’t have a chance,” said Carroll.
The Seahawks won five out of their last six games and will finish the season in second place in the NFC West behind the LA Rams, who beat them twice this season.
Golden Years
Carroll has a career 119-85-1 regular season record as a head coach in the NFL, but the 2018 season with the Seahawks was dubbed a masterpiece in a recent column by ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
While the NFL is transforming into a pass-happy league, Carroll purposely wanted to run the ball this season. The Seahawks, led by Chris Carson, are the top rushing team in the NFL averaging 158.8 yards per game.
“Sometimes, it’s not going to work and you’ve got to be able to go the other way or go to the throwing game,” Carroll said. “We don’t think we’re not going to throw it. We want to take advantage of it off the running game. It’s no secret, so I don’t mind saying it.”
The Seahawks resemble the blueprint of some of Carroll’s best teams over the years. They focus on the running game to help control the clock and time of possession.
On defense, the Seahawks are not exactly superstars and are ranked 11th overall in fewest points allowed with 21.5 points per game. The secondary lacks big names like Richard Sherman from the Legion of Boom, but their success is credited to Carroll’s methodical preparation.
“We believe in ourselves. We believe in each other,” said running back Chris Carson. “That belief comes from the work we put in together. We prepare for anything, so when the moment comes, we believe we’re going to make something happen.”
Winning the Big One
Carroll is 10-7 in the playoffs with back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, including a win in Super Bowl XLVIII. In 2013, the Seahawks finished 13-3 and represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8, even though Peyton Manning and the Broncos were a two-point favorite.
In 2014, the Seahawks finished the season 12-4 and returned to the Super Bowl. The Seahawks were a pick’em against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Pats won 28-24 and clinched the win on a key interception in the end zone.
If you ask fans from Seattle, they will tell you that the Seahawks should have won two straight Super Bowls. With the ball on the goal line late in the fourth quarter, Carroll should have called a running play for Marshawn Lynch instead of a pass play from Russell Wilson that resulted in an interception. The Seahawks dynasty fell apart and the Legion of Boom began to crumble shortly after.
Who is Pete Carroll?
Carroll is one of three coaches who won a Super Bowl and a collegiate championship. Carroll guided the USC Trojans to national titles in 2003 and 2004.
PETE CARROLL
Age: 67
College: Pacific
Pro Career: Honolulu Hawaiians of World Football League
NFL Record: 128-92-1
Teams: Jets, Patriots, Seahawks
College Record: 84-18 at USC
Super Bowl Wins: 1
Carroll got his first NFL head coaching job with the New York Jets in 1994. At the time, Carroll was the youngest coach in the league at 42 years old. Carroll paid his dues as the defensive coordinator for four seasons with the Jets before they fired head coach Bruce Coslet and internally promoted him to head coach. The Jets went 6-10 under Carroll and the rookie head coach lasted only one season before they fired him.
Carroll returned to the DC ranks and coached the San Francisco Niners’ defense for two seasons before he got another shot at a head coaching gig. The New England Patriots hired Carroll to replace Bill Parcells after a dispute with the team owner Robert Kraft. Carroll lasted three seasons with a 27-21 record before Kraft fired him after the 1999 season.
USC named Carroll their new head coach in 2001. Within two seasons, he turned the program around. USC went 12-1 in 2003 and the Trojans won the national championship with a victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl. In 2004, the Trojans went undefeated at 13-0. Carroll’s team destroyed Oklahoma 55-19 in the BCS National Championship Game at the Orange Bowl to win his second collegiate title.
The Seahawks hired Carroll in 2010. Despite a 7-9 record in his first season with the Seahawks, they won the NFC West and earned a postseason berth. Carroll won the Super Bowl in his fourth season in Seattle. The Seahawks advanced to the postseason in seven out of the nine seasons Carroll coached.
According to the South Point Casino and Sports Book in Las Vegas, the Seahawks are 25-1 odds to win the Super Bowl.