"He is in retirement age" - NFL reporter suggests Pete Carroll won't be part of Seattle Seahawks rebuild
The Seattle Seahawks are coming off an extremely disappointing 2021 season, missing the NFL Playoffs a year after winning their division. Head Coach Pete Carroll has come under increasing pressure, with speculation rife about his future in the NFL.
The rumors about big changes in Seattle turned out to be true, but it wasn't Carroll who would leave the Seahawks.
Instead, the organization traded away superstar quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and released superstar middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. The latter was signed in free agency by the Los Angeles Rams, a division rival of the Seahawks.
However, NFL reporter Austin Gayle thinks time may be up for Carroll also. Gayle recently appeared on the TOJ Pod to talk about the NFL off-season and Carroll's situation.
"Is Carroll around for the next two to three years? Is he around for the next three to five years? Do you want to do that to a rookie quarterback's development? ... I think those conversations have to be had in Seattle. It's not an elephant in the room, it's obvious that Pete Carroll isn't nearing retirement age, he's in retirement age."
A major change in leadership and direction on the Seahawks roster has landed the team in a difficult place. They can fully commit to a rebuild, but that's not an ideal situation at all for Carroll, the NFL's oldest active head coach at 70 years old.
It may be too late in his career to start over with a brand new rookie quarterback and turn the entire roster over.
The Seahawks have many more decisions to make about their roster prior to the start of the 2022 NFL season.
The biggest decision they need to make is about whether they want to stick with Drew Lock as their starting quarterback. They have the option of using their first-round draft pick on one of the top prospects at the position.
The uncertainty around Carroll's future makes the decision a bit more difficult for the organization.
Pete Carroll's career as head coach of Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll has been the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks for the last 12 years, where he has posted a solid 129-81 record, including in the postseason. He has won five NFC West division titles and made the playoffs nine times. He has also won two NFC Conference championships and one Super Bowl ring.