Pete Carroll did not want to stop coaching football after the 2023 season. The Seattle Seahawks simply did not want him to be the team's head coach anymore. After 14 seasons, and having the most successful run of any head coach in the franchise's history, Carroll was, for all intents and purposes, fired.
Sure, he had a year left on his guaranteed contract, so the team had to find a role for him to do, but while he remained as an "advisor," he did not truly do any advising. Instead, he hung out at the University of Washington quite a bit and watched his son, Brennan, coach the Huskies offense. But Pete seemingly did not want to be done with coaching himself.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Carroll has an interest in getting back to the NFL in 2025 and being the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Chicago let their coach, Matt Eberflus, go in late November as the team was on a losing streak that has now reached nine games. The Bears do have a promising rookie quarterback in the person of Caleb Williams, but a culture reset needs to be done.
ESPN reports former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll might have an interest in coaching the Chicago Bears
If Carroll does return to the league, he will return as he left as the oldest head coach in the NFL. Still, there is little doubt that the energy and optimism Carroll brings is probably unmatched by any coach of any other age. He is 73 but has the vigor of someone who is 33. Plus, he can still coach.
The issue with the Seahawks, at least in part, was that he was too loyal to his assistants. He kept defensive coordinators such as Ken Norton, Jr. and Clint Hurtt employed far too long. Carroll is a loyal guy, which is a great trait for a human being but not in the cut-throat world of the NFL.
Of course, that loyalty would not be an issue initially with the Bears. Carroll would be starting over, and that is something that should excite him and Bears fans. The coach has shown he can rebuild programs like he did at USC and then the Seahawks. It might take him a couple of years, but the team also could reach an extremely high level of success more quickly with him than most other coaches.
Seattle won the Super Bowl in Carroll's fourth season with the team and made the playoffs in six of his first seven years. The question might be how much control Carroll wants over the roster in Chicago should he be hired. He had final say over all roster moves during his time with the Seahawks.
Coincidentally, Seattle plays Chicago in Week 17. Who knows if Carroll will be watching, but he certainly might. While 12s will always root for the Seahawks first, if Carroll does get a job with the Bears he built up enough good-will in Seattle that most Seahawks fans will probably wish him well with the Bears.