Pete Carroll was under no pressure to find outside work in 2024. The Seattle Seahawks effectively released him in January 2024, but he didn’t have to find work right away. He was still under contract for this season, so he was making about $10 million whether he was coaching or not. However, if Carroll wants to make some money next year, he’ll have to do it without the Seahawks.

Coincidentally, head coach/adjunct general manager Bill Belichick was also fired by the New England Patriots this past offseason. Neither he nor Carroll immediately found other employment, but only Belichick seemed to actively seek it. He was interviewed by the Atlanta Falcons for the head coaching position, but the Falcons hired Raheem Morris instead.

Carroll, meanwhile, seemed content to hang around Seattle quite a bit since his son Brennan is the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington. Plus, Pete was still getting paid by the Seahawks.

Belichick was reportedly in talks to return to coaching, but not in the NFL. He could become the head coach at the University of North Carolina. Belichick has never coached at the college level, so one might wonder how the 72-year-old will adjust to recruiting and how zero money works.

The coach was obviously very successful with the New England Patriots, but he won’t have a quarterback like Tom Brady at his side for the Tar Heels. Belichick still needs to prove he can make the transition from the NFL to a successful college degree like Nick Saban did. And, well, Pete Carroll too.

What wouldn’t be surprising is if the 73-year-old Carroll follows Belichick’s lead and becomes a college coach again. Carroll led the USC Trojans from 2001 to 2009, winning a national championship. He has the personality and ability to connect with much younger players, and while he won’t coach for the next decade, a college could hire him for about five years.

There’s probably a better chance that Carroll would be more successful than Belichick when returning to the college level. After all, Pete has already proven himself as a college coach. Not Belichick.

What could work perfectly is if Carroll finds a home in the ACC, possibly at Florida State if the university moves on from Mike Norvell. That would mean Carroll and Belichick would be in the same conference. Maybe Pete even hires Brennan as his offensive coordinator and Bill hires his son Steve as his defensive coordinator, since Steve currently holds the same position at the University of Washington and works with Brennan Carroll.

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