Four great potential landing spots for Pete Carroll
Carroll could be college-bound in 2024
The thing is, Pete Carroll doesn't exactly seem like the vengeful type. Like, not at all. If the opportunity arose in San Francisco, I wouldn't blame him for making the move. If he does take a job with another NFL team, you might think it would be far more likely for Carroll to take an assistant head coaching position with a team much further east.
The Carolina Panthers recently hired Dave Canales as their head coach. Canales has strong ties with Carroll, of course. I mean, he only spent 12 years in Seattle. The only issue there is that Carolina kept the entire defensive staff intact. So where would Pete fit in? Add that Nathan Carroll joined the Panthers this offseason, and that closes the door on Carolina. There's simply no way Carroll would run any risk of outshining his son.
Carroll could certainly fit in on other NFL staffs, but it's far more likely he might find a home in the college ranks. One place Carroll won't be coaching will be at his alma mater, the University of the Pacific. The Tigers disbanded their storied football program after the 1995 season. Imagine that, a school with an enrollment of fewer than 5,000 students competing at the top collegiate level, and realizing it was just draining their resources.
Pete is a bit more famous for his work at a school a little further south. The USC Trojans remain one of college football's elite teams, even if they haven't won a national title since Carroll chewed his Bubble Yum on the sidelines of Memorial Coliseum. However, current head coach Lincoln Riley just engineered a massive overhaul of his defensive staff.
Once again, while Carroll may find himself on the sidelines in 2024 - literally, not figuratively - it won't be with the obvious organizations. Most colleges are already well into their spring practice schedule. At best, Carroll might find a home as a consultant with any number of teams. I think it's actually more likely he could still end up with a pro team in a similar role.