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Pete Carroll Interested In Chicago Bears Coaching Vacancy? NFL Return

Former Seattle Seahawks and USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll has expressed interest in returning to the NFL, specifically with the Chicago Bears vacancy to coach rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Kyron Samuels

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll looks on prior to facing the against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll looks on prior to facing the against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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Early on Christmas morning, a shocking report surfaced regarding the Chicago Bears head coaching position. Former USC Trojans and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has shown major interest in the Bears coaching vacancy. Carroll, 73 years old, is regarded among the best coaches in the history of football. 

“Former Seahawks Super-Bowl winning HC Pete Carroll has expressed interest in the Bears HC job and would like to return to the sideline next season, league sources tell ESPN.” said ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter via X. 

Pete Carroll is one of four head coaches to have led teams to both a national championship and a Super Bowl win. The others are Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson, and Jim Harbaugh. Carroll holds a 170-120 regular season and an 11-11 record in the postseason in his 18 seasons as an NFL coach and is also a member of the NFL 2010's All-Decade Team. At the collegiate ranks, Carroll held a 97-19 record and won two national championships and four Rose Bowls. 

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While Carroll is a defensive specialist, he’s considered a “players coach” and has aided in the development of multiple star quarterbacks through both the professional and collegiate ranks, such as Russell Wilson, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, Matt Cassell, John David Booty, and others.

The potential meshing with rookie quarterback and first-overall pick Caleb Williams, a former USC Trojan as well, could be an intriguing matchup for the Chicago Bears organization and would assuredly be invigorating for a large portion of the already rabid fan base. Williams has rewritten the Chicago Bears record books for rookies and is closing in on multiple Bears franchise records. With more stability in the coaching department, Williams's development projection continues to rise.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Cleveland Browns have both been linked to the future vacancy as well. While the Bears have been in a dark place recently, there’s no shortage of interest from some of the biggest and most accomplished names in the sport. That speaks to the pedigree and history of the franchise but also how impressive and alluring a talent like Caleb Williams is. 

In a humorous coincidence, The Chicago Bears and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams host the Seattle Seahawks Thursday night on Amazon Prime Video in the penultimate game of the 2024 season. This could potentially be a meeting between Carroll's former and future teams. The future potential of Caleb Williams with an established, proven head coach could be the best Christmas present Chicago Bears fans could've asked for.

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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