Questions continue to surround Pete Carroll’s new role with the Seattle Seahawks as an advisor. There is plenty of skepticism that Carroll will not continue to coach, especially with so many vacancies around the NFL.
Carroll has done little to dispel these rumors, hinting that there is still a desire to coach. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons offered his predictions for the NFL coaching carousel and has Carroll making a surprise move to the Atlanta Falcons.
“I’m going to say [Mike] Vrabel to Dallas and I’m going to say Pete Carroll to the Falcons and [Bill] Belichick to the Eagles,” Simmons noted on a January 16, 2024 episode of his self-titled podcast.
To be clear, Simmons was not reporting this but merely offering a few predictions for what the NFL teams searching for coaches would do. Given Carroll was already named a Seahawks advisor, it would be a bit of a surprise if the legendary is on a sideline next season.
Let’s examine the case for the Falcons making a push to land Carroll.
Falcons News: Atlanta Has Already Interviewed Bill Belichick & Jim Harbaugh
We have interviewed Bill Belichick for our head coach opening
The good news is if the Falcons interview Carroll, it will be public knowledge. Atlanta has been revealing every interview on social media, including recent meetings with Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh.
Despite the team’s recent struggles, the Falcons are an appealing landing spot. The offense has plenty of young talent with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Atlanta is looking to find both its coach and quarterback of the future this offseason.
For a team that has been stuck in mediocrity, it is clear why Carroll would be a perfect fit in creating a new identity and culture. Carroll led a previously struggling Seahawks franchise to two Super Bowls, winning 60% of the team’s games over his 14 seasons.
Pete Carroll on Coaching Again: ‘I’ve Got Plenty of Energy for It’
Seattle’s breakup with Carroll continues to be a bit puzzling with little details provided on the decision. Carroll made it clear that he fought to continue coaching the team.
The decision has mostly been pinned on owner Jody Allen, but general manager John Schneider hinted that Caroll was not meeting the team’s expectations in terms of on-field success. Carroll left the door open to coaching again but admitted it would be challenging to find a logical landing spot.
“I don’t know. I’ve got plenty of energy for it and thought and willingness, but I can’t imagine that there’s a place, the right one,” Carroll told Seattle Sports’ “Brock and Salk” during a January 11 interview. “I don’t know. I’m open to everything but I’m not holding my breath on that.
“There’s a lot of world out there, and I’m excited about challenging and going after it. If that happens, that happens. We’ll see. I really don’t know what to tell you about that yet.”
Seahawks News: John Schneider Had Conversations With Pete Carroll About Where the Team Needed to Improve
#Seahawks GM John Schneider emotional talking about Pete Carroll and their 14-year partnership that just ended @thenewstribune
Schneider revealed that he had conversations with Carroll about “where we needed to improve.” The Seahawks general manager declined to get into more specifics on the team’s final meetings with Carroll.
“I’m not going to get into the specifics of the conversations,” Schneider said during a January 15 press conference. “Those are very confidential and very private. I would say that Pete knew how I felt about things and where we needed to improve and Jody knew my opinions as well.”
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Pete Carroll Predicted to Bolt Seahawks for NFC Squad in Surprise Move