Named head coach on January 11, 2010, Pete Carroll became the eighth head coach in Seahawks history after one of the most successful runs in USC history in the college ranks. He brings 28 years of NFL experience and 19 years of collegiate experience to Seattle.

Named head coach on January 11, 2010, Pete Carroll became the eighth head coach in Seahawks history after one of the most successful runs in USC history in the college ranks. He brings 29 years of NFL experience and 19 years of collegiate experience to Seattle.

Carroll's overall head coaching record is 161-112-1 in the regular season and 11-11 in the postseason in his 17 years of NFL head coaching. His 172 combined wins (regular and postseason) are the 16th-most in NFL history. 

In his tenure as head coach in Seattle, Carroll and Executive VP/General Manager John Schneider constructed the best teams in Seahawks history over the past 13 seasons with a 128-81-1 record, back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013-14, posted 10-plus wins in five consecutive seasons (2012-16) for the first time in franchise history, and won five NFC West Division titles.

Seattle has reached the postseason 10 of Carroll's 13 seasons as coach, advanced to the divisional round seven times, winning two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl, while claiming the No. 1 seed in the NFC twice, and for the third time in franchise history (2005 under Mike Holmgren, 2013-14).

Seattle led the NFL in scoring defense for four-consecutive seasons from 2012-15, becoming the first defense in the Super Bowl era to accomplish the feat. Cleveland led the league in scoring defense for a record five-straight seasons from 1953-57 in 12-game seasons.

Carroll continues to grow the team through his strong philosophy of preaching competition and taking care of the football.

Helping that cause, Carroll has established a winning culture through a foundation of young talent and veteran leadership led by S Jamal Adams, LB Jordyn Brooks, S Quandre Diggs, WR Tyler Lockett, WR DK Metcalf, QB Geno Smith, LB Bobby Wagner, RB Kenneth Walker III, and CB Tariq Woolen.

Despite the departures of several key veterans, Seattle returned to the postseason as the NFC's seventh seed in 2022 after a 9-8 record in the regular season. Seattle needed to win its final two games to join the playoff field, and the Seahawks did just that, helping Carroll became the ninth head coach in NFL history to make the playoffs in 12 different seasons.

2021 was an uncharacteristic season for Seattle as the Seahawks missed the postseason for the first time since 2017. However, after a disappointing 3-8 start, Carroll's Seahawks finished strong, rattling off four wins in their final six games, helped by the emergence of Seattle's running game, finishing the season with 1,056 rushing yards since Week 13, most in the NFL. Seattle scored 30 or more points in each of those wins, creating strong momentum and optimism for 2022. 

In a year with limited or no fans at games around the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Seahawks concluded the season with a 12-4 record and champions of the NFC West. It was the 11th division title in franchise history and fifth under Carroll, tying Mike Holmgren for the most by a Seattle head coach. It was the 14th time in the last 18 seasons that Seattle qualified for the postseason and ninth time in Carroll's 11 seasons as head coach. The Seahawks scored a franchise-record 459 points while winning 12 or more games for the fifth time in club history.

Carroll's 2019 team held a 10-2 record through the first three quarters of the season but went an uncharacteristic 1-3 to finish the year and slipped to the no. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs, winning the Wild Card Game and advancing to the Divisional Round for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons, while appearing in the postseason for the eighth time. Posting a franchise-best 7-1 road record, Seattle reached 10 wins for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, something accomplished only five times in franchise history from 1976-2011. The Seahawks became the second team in NFL history to win 10 one-score games in a single season, joining the 1978 Oilers (10-6 record) and Carroll earned his 100th regular season win in franchise history, extending his own franchise record.

The 2018 Seahawks exceeded everyone's expectations but their own as they won 10 games for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and advancing to the Wild Card playoffs. After a 4-5 start to the season, Seattle became the 28th team with a losing record after nine games to advance to the postseason, scoring the second-most points in franchise history (428) and leading the NFL with a rushing attack that accumulated 2,560 yards, the third-most in franchise history, marking the top-three rushing seasons all under Carroll (2012, 2014, 2018).

Seattle concluded the 2017 season with a 9-7 record and a second-place finish in the NFC West. Despite injuries on the defensive side of the ball to DE Cliff Avril, S Kam Chancellor, CB Richard Sherman and missing its top-two running backs in Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise, Seattle entered the final-quarter of the season with an 8-4 record and remained in the hunt for an NFC West title and a shot at winning 10 games for the sixth-consecutive season.

The Seahawks won their 10th division title in franchise history in 2016 with a 10-5-1 record. Seattle's defense finished in the top-5 for the fifth-consecutive season (2012-16), an impressive feat during an era of unprecedented scoring and yardage numbers in NFL history.

Seattle's NFL-record streak of not losing by more than 10 points in 85 regular season games (95 games including playoffs) ended at Green Bay (12/11/16), and its NFL-record streak of 88 regular season games (98 games including playoffs) where it has led or been within one score in the fourth quarter came to an end at Tampa Bay (11/27/16).

After beginning the 2015 season 0-2, 2-4 and 4-5, the Seahawks became the 22nd team with a losing record after nine games to advance to the postseason, winning six of their last seven games to post a 10-6 record and finishing in the top-10 in defense for a franchise-record fifth-consecutive season (2011-15). Seattle defeated the Vikings in Minnesota in the Wild Card round but dropped a 31-24 decision at Carolina in the divisional round.

Seattle's defense finished 2015 ranked second (291.8 ypg) while the offense ranked fourth in the NFL (378.6 ypg), setting the franchise-record with 6,058 yards. It was the fourth time in franchise history, first since 2005, with a top-five offense.

The team won its ninth division title in club history in 2014, third under Carroll, after winning the NFC West with a 12-4 record. Seattle fell to New England, 28-24, in Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz., in a season that saw it begin 3-3 but finish the season with a 9-1 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive season.

The Seahawks also became the fourth team in NFL history to lead the league in fewest points and yards allowed in back-to-back seasons (2013-14), and first since the 1985-86 Chicago Bears. The Seahawks led the league in defense for the second straight year while the offense had the No. 1-ranked rushing attack with a franchise-record 2,762 yards and ranked in the top-10 in offense (ninth overall) for the first time since the 2007 season.

In 2013, Carroll led Seattle to its first Super Bowl title in franchise history with a 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII in New York/New Jersey on February 2, 2014, after a franchise-best 13-3 regular season record, and joined Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer as the only coaches to win a college football national title and a Super Bowl in their career.

Carroll and Schneider constructed one of the best defenses in the last 12 years at the time, leading them to the NFL title. The Seahawks defense ranked first overall in the NFL in total defense (273.6 ypg), passing defense (172.0 ypg), points allowed (14.4 ppg), takeaways (39), interceptions (28), turnover differential (+20) and opponent quarterback rating (63.4).

The youngest Super Bowl-winning roster in NFL history (26 years, 162 days) was led by second-year QB Russell Wilson, who became the third-youngest quarterback to win the title game (25 years, 65 days).

In 2012, Carroll led Seattle to the NFC Divisional Playoff posting the fourth-best record in franchise history (11-5). Seattle won its first postseason road game since 1983 with a Wild Card Game victory at Washington.

One of the youngest teams in the NFL to end the season for the second-consecutive year (second overall, third-youngest defensive starters, fourth-youngest offensive starters), Seattle started 4-4 but went on to finish the season 7-1 led by rookie Wilson and the league's fourth-ranked defense, that also led the league allowing 245 points (15.3 ppg).

Carroll's 2011 squad also ranked as one of the youngest in the NFL; beginning the season with the second-youngest roster in Week 1, once having the third-youngest offensive line during the season and ending the year with the second-youngest starting defensive unit in the league.

He saw his 2011 defense improve weekly, ending the season ranked ninth in the league in total defense, just the sixth time Seattle had boasted a top-10 defense and first since 1997. His offense switched gears from a quick-strike, no-huddle group to a grind-it-out ground game led by RB Marshawn Lynch over the last half of the season. That offensive mentality helped Seattle rank fifth in the NFL with 1,212 rush yards over the last nine games of the season.

Always competing, the Seahawks jumped out to a 4-2 record to begin the 2010 season and parlayed that in to the club's fifth NFC West title in the past seven seasons, punctuating the season with a 41-36 victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints at Lumen Field in the Wild Card Game.

Carroll returned to the NFL after spending nine years (2001-09) as head coach at USC, where he won seven consecutive Pac-10 titles (2002-08), two national championships (2003-04) and led the Trojans to a 97-19 record. He reached a bowl in each of his nine seasons and won seven. His 88 victories from 2001 to 2008 tied Bob Pruett of Marshall for most by a Division I coach in their first eight seasons since 1900 (Penn's George Woodruff - 102). He reached 50 career USC wins faster than any head coach in Trojans history. From 2002-08, his teams appeared in an NCAA-record seven consecutive BCS bowls, recorded at least 11 victories seven times (an NCAA record) and finished ranked in the AP Top-4. USC was the AP's No. 1 team for a national-record 33 straight polls (including two preseason polls) and was ranked in the AP Top-10 for a school-record 63 consecutive games. His teams were ranked in the AP Top 25 for 102 consecutive games, a school record. In 2009, he was named Coach of the Decade by Lindy's.

Also under Carroll, USC was the first school to have three Heisman Trophy winners in a four-year span (QB Carson Palmer, QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush). He also coached winners of the Walter Camp, Chuck Bednarik, Johnny Unitas, Doak Walker and John Mackey Awards. Carroll produced 34 All-American first-teamers and 53 NFL draft picks (including 14 first-rounders, with a No. 1 selection in Palmer and a No. 2 in Bush). His USC program had the nation's most draftees in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

USC posted a 12-1 record in 2008 and advanced to its fourth-consecutive Rose Bowl, defeating Penn State, 38-24, to become the first team to win three straight Rose Bowls. In the polls, the Trojans finished ranked second by USA Today and third by AP. USC finished first in scoring defense (9.8 ppg, its finest in 41 years), surrendering just 14 touchdowns in 2008.

In 2007, USC went 11-2 and finished second in the USA Today poll and third in the AP poll, for its sixth AP Top-4 ranking in a row. Its 49-17 win over Illinois in the Rose Bowl equaled the most points ever in the bowl game. Five players were named All-American first-teamers.

USC posted an 11-2 mark in 2006, finished No. 4 in the final polls and shared the Pac-10 title at 7-2 to capture an unprecedented fifth straight conference crown. Five Trojans were All-American first-teamers and Carroll was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the third time.

His Trojans held AP's No. 1 ranking for the entire regular season in 2005. USC went 12-1 overall to advance to the BCS Championship Game in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans, who finished second in both polls, boasted a school-record six All-American first-teamers, including Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Bush. He was the 2005 Pac-10 Co-Coach of the Year, as well as the American Football Coaches Association Division I-A Region 5 Coach of the Year.

In 2004, he guided No. 1-ranked USC to its second consecutive national championship with a convincing win over Oklahoma in the BCS Championship Game in the Orange Bowl. USC became only the second team ever to hold its AP preseason No. 1 ranking all the way through a season. It was only the 10th time that a team won back-to-back AP crowns. His team was 13-0 (a school-record for wins) and went 8-0 in the Pac-10. A school-record six Trojans were named All-American first-teamers.

The Trojans won the AP national championship, its first national crown since 1978, and entered the Rose Bowl also ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN poll, in 2003. USC was 12-1 overall and finished the season ranked second. USC's 534 points was a Pac-10 record. Five Trojans were first-team All-Americans. For this, Carroll was named the 2003 American Football Coaches Association Division I-A Coach of the Year, Home Depot National Coach of the Year, Maxwell Club College Coach of the Year, ESPN.com National Coach of the Year, Pigskin Club of Washington D.C. Coach of the Year and All-American Football Foundation Frank Leahy Co-Coach of the Year. He also was the Pac-10 Co-Coach of the Year.

In 2002, USC posted its first 11-win season since 1979 and its highest ranking (No. 4) since 1988. Heisman Trophy-winning QB Palmer and S Troy Polamalu were first team All-Americans.

Carroll was named USC's head football coach on December 15, 2000, and in his first season, led the Trojans to the Las Vegas Bowl and a 6-6 record.

He began his NFL career as defensive backs coach for Buffalo (1984) and Minnesota (1985-89) before becoming the N.Y. Jets defensive coordinator (1990-93) and head coach (1994). He spent two years as San Francisco's defensive coordinator (1995-96), leading the league in total defense in 1995, before leading New England to a 27-21 record and two playoff appearances as head coach (1997-99).  

Carroll spent the 2000 season as a consultant for pro and college teams, doing charitable work for the NFL and writing a column on pro football for CNNSI.com.

He began his coaching career at the collegiate level, serving as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Pacific, for three years (1974-76), working with the wide receivers and secondary. He then spent a season as a graduate assistant working with the secondary at Arkansas (1977) under Lou Holtz as the Razorbacks won the 1978 Orange Bowl, and then a season each as an assistant in charge of the secondary at Iowa State (1978) and at Ohio State (1979). He next spent three seasons (1980-82) as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at North Carolina State, before returning to Pacific in 1983 as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

Carroll was a two-time (1971-72) All-Pacific Coast Conference free safety at Pacific and earned his bachelor's degree in 1973 in business administration. He received his secondary teaching credential and a master's degree in physical education from Pacific in 1976. He was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. In May of 2022, Carroll received an honorary doctorate degree from the university.

He was a three-sport (football, basketball and baseball) standout at Redwood High in Larkspur, Calif., earning the school's Athlete of the Year award as a senior. He played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back. He was inducted into the inaugural Redwood High Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. He then played football at Marin Junior College in Kentfield, Calif., from 1969-70 before transferring to Pacific.

Carroll's passion for working with people goes beyond the football field and into the community. Throughout his career he founded and championed philanthropic efforts in Seattle, Los Angeles, and around the country.

While at USC, he started A Better L.A., and in Seattle he created A Better Seattle. Both work with community-based street outreach teams serving youth impacted by gangs and the juvenile justice system.

Carroll also spearheaded efforts to bring the youth empowerment and education program WE Day to the United States, resulting in WE Day being held across the country.

In 2020, Carroll hosted the podcast "Flying Coach,'' along with Steve Kerr, world champion head coach of the NBA's Warriors, combining sports with social justice issues.

In 2021, Carroll also launched the award-winning podcast "Amplify Voices: Conversations from the Heart," spotlighting some of the most inspiring and influential voices today, as well as imparting Carroll's legacy of caring leadership. Today, Carroll continues his philanthropic efforts by supporting organizations and causes addressing social justice and education.

Carroll was born on September 15 in San Francisco. He and his wife, Glena, have three children and seven grandchildren.