HENDERSON, Nev. – Pete Carroll has been named Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Carroll enters his 31st season in the NFL, most recently spending 14 seasons as the Executive V.P. and Head Coach of the Seattle Seahawks. During his 14-year tenure in Seattle, Carroll posted 10-plus wins in eight seasons, won five NFC West Division titles, reached the postseason 10 times, advanced to the divisional round seven times, won two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl. Under his guidance, the Seahawks led the NFL in scoring defense for four-consecutive seasons from 2012-15, becoming the first defense in the Super Bowl era to accomplish the feat. He also saw Seattle's offense finish top five in the NFL in rushing yards six times (2012-15, 2018, 2019) and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
From 2012-15, the Seahawks went 46-18 in the regular season, the third-best regular season winning percentage (.719) during that span, while the team's seven playoff wins were the most over that span. In 2013, Carroll led Seattle to its first Super Bowl title in franchise history with a 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII after a franchise-best 13-3 regular season record, joining Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer as the only coaches to win a college football national title and a Super Bowl in their career. The Seahawks defense ranked first overall in the NFL in total defense (273.6 ypg), passing defense (172.0 ypg), points allowed (14.4 ppg), takeaways (39), interceptions (28), turnover differential (+20) and opponent quarterback rating (63.4).
Carroll returned to the NFL after spending nine years (2001-09) as head coach at USC, where he won seven consecutive Pac-10 titles (2002-08), two national championships (2003-04) and led the Trojans to a 97-19 record. From 2002-08, his teams appeared in an NCAA record seven consecutive BCS bowls, recorded at least 11 victories seven times and finished ranked in the AP Top 4 seven times. Under Carroll, USC was the first school to have three Heisman Trophy winners in a four-year span (QB Carson Palmer, QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush). Carroll produced 34 All-American first-teamers and 53 NFL draft picks (including 14 first rounders, with a No. 1 selection in Palmer and a No. 2 in Bush).
He began his NFL career as defensive backs coach for Buffalo (1984) and Minnesota (1985-89) before becoming the New York Jets defensive coordinator (1990-93) and head coach (1994). He spent two years as San Francisco's defensive coordinator (1995-96), leading the league in total defense in 1995, before leading New England to a 27-21 record and two playoff appearances as head coach (1997-99).
Carroll began his coaching career at the collegiate level, serving as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Pacific, for three years (1974-76), working with the wide receivers and secondary. He then spent one season as a graduate assistant working with the secondary at Arkansas (1977) under Lou Holtz as the Razorbacks won the 1978 Orange Bowl. He had stints as a secondary coach at Iowa State (1978) and Ohio State (1979) before spending three seasons (1980-82) as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at North Carolina State. He then returned to Pacific in 1983 as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.
Carroll was a two-time (1971-72) All-Pacific Coast Conference free safety at Pacific and earned his bachelor's degree in 1973 in business administration. He received his secondary teaching credential and a master's degree in physical education from Pacific in 1976. He was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. In May of 2022, Carroll received an honorary doctorate degree from the university.
Carroll authored a New York Times bestseller book, entitled Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion, in 2011.
He was a three-sport (football, basketball and baseball) standout at Redwood High in Larkspur, Calif., earning the school's Athlete of the Year award as a senior. He played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back. He was inducted into the inaugural Redwood High Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. He then played football at Marin Junior College in Kentfield, Calif., from 1969-70 before transferring to Pacific. Carroll was born on September 15 in San Francisco. He and his wife, Glena, have three children and eight grandchildren.
