Pete Carroll Won’t Rule Out Return to Coaching Despite End of Seahawks Tenure

The ex-Seattle coach left the door open to returning to the sidelines.

Pete Carroll didn’t anticipate having such an open calendar for 2024 and beyond. 

In a surprising move, the longtime Seattle Seahawks head coach was removed from his position, one he has held since 2010, on Wednesday as the franchise shifted his job title to that of an adviser. Seattle indicated that the two sides agreed to make this decision, although Carroll said he had “pushed” to be the team’s coach moving forward. 

Now, Carroll has an open future, which was addressed during his final interview with the Brock and Salk radio show on Friday. When Carroll was asked whether he sees himself coaching again, he said he “wasn’t holding his breath” but stopped short of ruling it out.

“I don’t know that,” Carroll said, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “I’ve got plenty of energy for it and thought and willingness but can’t imagine there’s a place, the right one. 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 here that I’m excited about challenging and going after. So if that happens, it happens. We’ll see. I really don’t know what to tell you about that yet.”

Carroll, who said earlier this week that he’s not tired or worn down when speaking about coaching again, essentially reiterated that message, saying he still has the “energy” to coach. However, the 72-year-old apparently doesn’t see “the right place” to return to the sidelines at this point. 

With six other NFL head coaching vacancies besides the Seahawks, there are certainly plenty of opportunities out there should Carroll want to coach in 2024. 

Judging by Carroll’s words, it sounds as if that isn’t the most likely scenario, though.