Rumor: Seattle Seahawks To Target Dallas Cowboys Coach Dan Quinn if Pete Carroll Retires?

A new rumor suggests that the Seattle Seahawks could reunite with an old friend if Pete Carroll were to retire.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has given no indication that he plans on retiring any time soon, but as the oldest coach in the league at 72, it's inevitable that he will hang up the headset at some point. 

When that eventually does happen, it will be a very strange day in the Emerald City. Carroll has been the Seahawks' coach since 2010, and has led them to by far their most successful stretch in franchise history that included their first, and so far only, Super Bowl title. No matter what happens in the future, Carroll has already cemented himself as a Seattle sports icon.

Still, what would life after Carroll even look like for the Seahawks? According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the answer could lie in bringing back an old friend.

Pete Carroll and Dan Quinn / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"Does Pete Carroll retire in Seattle? I don't think so, but I've heard a lot over the last few weeks in these circles, like the people who work in these circles and the coaching carousel circles, that would Dan Quinn be the successor in Seattle if Pete Carroll were to hang it up after this year?" Breer said on The Rich Eisen Show.

Quinn's name should be a very familiar one for Seahawks fans. The 53-year-old first came to Seattle as a defensive line coach and assistant head coach in 2009 and 2010, but then left to join the Florida Gators for two years. However, Quinn's more notable stint with the Seahawks came in 2013 and 2014, when he led the "Legion of Boom" defense to the Super Bowl 48 title, and they nearly won Super Bowl 49 as well.

After that, Quinn left to become the Atlanta Falcons' new head coach. He went 43-42 in six seasons with the Falcons, leading them to two playoff appearances and a Super Bowl 51 appearance.

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Currently, Quinn is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, and he has done a tremendous job of turning the unit around. Dallas' defense was one of the league's worst in 2020, but since Quinn's arrival the following season, it has been one of the best.

Quinn has remained very committed to the Cowboys, as has Carroll to the Seahawks. A lot would need to unfold for Quinn to return to Seattle, but in the event Carroll does retire, the Dallas defensive coordinator is certainly a candidate to watch.