Former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll should follow Bill Belichick's lead

Pete Carroll was under no pressure to find outside work in 2024. The Seattle Seahawks fired him, for all intents and purposes, in January of 2024, but he did not have to find work right away. He was still under contract for this season so he was making about $10 million whether he was the coach or not. Next year, though, if Carroll wants to earn some coin, he will need to do that without the Seahawks.

Coincidentally, head coach/adjunct-general manager Bill Belichick was let go by the New England Patriots this past offseason as well. Neither he nor Carroll found other employment right away, but only Belichick seemed to be actively seeking it. He was interviewed by the Atlanta Falcons for their head coaching vacancy, but the Falcons hired Raheem Morris instead.

Carroll, meanwhile, appeared content to hang around Seattle quite a bit as his son, Brennan, is the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington. Plus, Pete was still getting paid by the Seahawks.

Could former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll follow Bill Belichick to be a college coach (again)?

Belichick has reportedly been in talks to return to coaching, though, but not in the NFL. He might be set to be the head coach at the University of North Carolina. Belichick has never been a coach at the college level, so one might wonder how the 72-year-old will adjust to recruiting and how NIL money works.

The coach was obviously highly successful with the New England Patriots, but he won't have a quarterback like Tom Brady working with him for the Tar Heels. Belichick will still have to prove he can transition from the NFL to being successful in college in the way that Nick Saban did. And, well, Pete Carroll, too.

What would not be surprising is if the 73-year-old Carroll follows Belichick's lead and becomes a college coach again. Carroll led the USC Trojans from 2001 through 2009 and won a national championship. He has the personality and ability to connect with much younger players, and while he might not be coaching for the next 10 years, a college could hire him for about five.

There is probably a greater likelihood that Carroll would be more successful when returning to the college level than Belichick. After all, Pete has already proven himself as a college coach. Belichick has not.

What might work perfectly is if Carroll finds a home in the ACC, possibly at Florida State if the university moves on from Mike Norvell. That would mean Carroll and Belichick would be in the same conference. Maybe Pete even hires Brennan to be his offensive coordinator, and Bill hires his son, Steve, as his defensive coordinator as Steve currently holds the same position at the University of Washington, working with Brennan Carroll.

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