Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll will miss the start of training camp with COVID.
The Seattle Seahawks are only a week into training camp, but they’ll be without one of the key members of the franchise for a key part of the preseason as the team works on installing the offense, defense, and special teams.
The team announced on Monday, August 1 that head coach Pete Carroll had tested positive for COVID-19. The positive test came while Carroll was away from the team, and as of Monday evening no other members of the Seahawks staff or roster has tested positive.
“Yesterday, head coach Pete Carroll tested positive for COVID-19,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “He is fully vaccinated and experiencing mild symptoms, while remaining at home. Carroll remains in contact with the coaching staff and will participate in team meetings virtually until he returns to the facility.”
Training camp is a crucial time for players and coaches to get ready for Week 1, so Carroll’s absence will be a big loss until he’s able to return.
Pete Carrol’s Tenure As Seahawks Head Coach
Carroll is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL, as well as the league’s oldest. While he’s facing plenty of questions heading into 2022 without two of his former star players in Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, the Seahawks head coach has already cemented his legacy in Seattle.
Prior to taking over for the Seahawks, Carroll had been a head coach for several NFL teams, as well as an assistant coach. He eventually moved to the college level in 2001, taking over as the head coach of the USC Trojans. He experienced incredible success with the program, winning back-to-back national championships, four Rose Bowls, and seven Pac-10 titles.
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
After so much success at the college level, Carroll came back to the NFL, accepting the head coaching gig for the Seahawks in 2010. The team went just 7-9 in his first season, but somehow won a divisional title in a dreadful NFC West, even beating the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round.
The team continued to develop under Carroll, with his defensive philosophy helping shape one of the most formidable defenses of the 2010s. With players including Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor, the defense became known as the Legion of Boom that helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title during the 2013 season.
With five NFC West titles, two conference titles, and one Super Bowl ring, Carroll has become the most successful head coach in franchise history. He faces some real challenges heading into 2022, but regardless of what happens, no one will be able to question Carroll’s impact in Seattle.
Latest Seahawks Training Camp Buzz
The team will be without Carroll while he recovers from COVID, but the Seahawks have at least been able to celebrate a few wins at the start of training camp.
The biggest news out of the first week of training camp has been that star wide receiver DK Metcalf will be staying with the team after signing a record-breaking three-year extension. Metcalf had reported to training camp but had not been participating while he waited for a new deal, which his agent and general manager John Schneider were able to get done.
Safety Jamal Adams suffered a big scare after getting his finger stuck in a teammate’s helmet in a freak accident at the start of camp. However, Seahawks fans can breathe a sigh of relief after it was reported that Adams won’t miss any significant time after it was determined that the injury wasn’t serious enough to sideline him.
The Seahawks will play their first preseason game on August 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so they have less than two weeks to get ready to compete.