When the Seattle Seahawks announced Pete Carroll’s dismissal as head coach in January, it stunned both fans and media alike. There had been no prior signs suggesting Carroll’s departure, and no reports hinted at the decision before ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the news.
At the time, the Seahawks stated that Carroll would remain with the organization in an unnamed advisory role. This seemed like a sensible move given Carroll’s strong standing in the locker room and his lengthy success with the team. However, there was never any clarification on what Carroll’s new responsibilities would be, and he hasn’t been seen around the team facility this offseason. In fact, Carroll’s recent interview on 93.3 KJR-FM marked his first public appearance since his exit as head coach.
Apparently, this was intentional. According to a report by ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Carroll has purposefully kept his distance from the Seahawks.
“Carroll’s radio appearance was his first communication with local media since his farewell press conference at the Seahawks’ headquarters in January, when team owner Jody Allen announced his transition to an advisory role. A source informed ESPN that Carroll has only been an advisor in name, and Carroll himself told the radio station that he has been staying away from the team.”
During the radio interview, Carroll also revealed that he would be teaching a class at USC this fall.
Before joining the Seahawks, Carroll served as USC’s head football coach from 2001 to 2009, winning a national championship in 2005 against Oklahoma. That title was later vacated due to recruiting violations involving star running back Reggie Bush, who also lost his Heisman Trophy.
Carroll added that he would be advising other organizations, though he didn’t specify which ones. He did, however, clarify that they were not football teams.
