CHICAGO — After the Seattle Seahawks secured a narrow 6-3 victory against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, quarterback Geno Smith took a moment to praise his former head coach, Pete Carroll. Smith expressed that any team would greatly benefit from having Carroll on the sidelines.
“Coach Carroll is truly a unique individual,” Smith remarked. “He has a strong belief system and maintains an incredibly positive demeanor. He’s a fighter. There’s just this unstoppable drive he has, and that resonates with me. I think we share that relentless approach. We simply keep moving forward without any hesitation.”
Teammate Devon Witherspoon also shared his admiration. “He’s definitely a players’ coach,” Witherspoon noted. “As soon as he arrives, players will feel drawn to him. He has an incredible ability to make work feel enjoyable, which is what makes playing for him such a pleasure.”
Recent reports indicate that Carroll may be considering a return to coaching after spending the latter part of the previous season in an advisory capacity with the Seahawks. Carroll previously led the Seahawks to their historic Super Bowl victory during his 14-year coaching tenure, which included a remarkable 10 playoff appearances. Additionally, he won a national championship while at USC, placing him in elite company as one of only four coaches to claim both NFL and college football championships, alongside legends like Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, and Jim Harbaugh.
In the wake of the Bears’ decision to draft former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, the team is currently searching for a new head coach following the dismissal of Matt Eberflus. Other teams, including the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, have also parted ways with their head coaches this season.
With a commendable record of 137-69-1 in regular-season games for the Seahawks, Carroll has led the team to five NFC West titles and achieved 10 playoff wins. His most notable triumph came when he guided Seattle to their first Super Bowl championship with a victory over Denver in Super Bowl 48. The franchise, however, has faced challenges since their heartbreaking loss to New England in Super Bowl 49, where a last-minute goal-line interception marred their hopes.
Defensive end Leonard Williams, who joined the Seahawks mid-season last year, expressed his wishes to have had more time under Carroll’s guidance. “I only had the chance to work with him for eight weeks, which is unfortunate,” he reflected. “I think he’s an exceptional coach, and I genuinely enjoy playing for him. I would have liked to have had more opportunities to work with him, but I’m grateful for my current situation.”
During his tenure, Carroll, along with former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, helped Smith develop into a Pro Bowl quarterback in both 2022 and 2023 after enduring injuries and playing with underperforming teams earlier in his career. “Coach Carroll has the ability to elevate any team,” Smith asserted. “He can positively impact anyone involved.”
