Bears HC candidate: Does Pete Carroll make sense in Chicago?

The Chicago Bears are searching for their next head coach, where general manager Ryan Poles will lead the charge in a wide-ranging search that will include up-and-coming coordinators, former head coaches, and even a current head coach.

As the coaching carousel begins to take its spins around the league, there have been many names being connected to the Bears, including former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who still seems to have plenty of gas in the tank despite being 73 years old. Carroll turned the Seahawks into a perennial playoff team throughout the 2010s and captured Super Bowl XLVIII behind a legendary defense—something Bears fans know quite well.

Carroll has already interviewed with the Bears and could be a serious contender to get the job. Here is an in-depth look at what he brings to the table.

Background

• Current Job: N/A

• Age: 73

• Hometown: San Francisco, California

• College: Pacific

Experience

• Head coach, Seattle Seahawks (2010-2023)

• Head coach, USC (2001-2009)

• Head coach, New England Patriots (1997-1999)

• Defensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers (1995-1996)

• Head coach, New York Jets (1994)

• Defensive coordinator, New York Jets (1990-1993)

• Defensive backs coach, Minnesota Vikings (1985-1989)

• Defensive backs coach, Buffalo Bills (1984)

• Defensive coordinator, Pacific (1983)

• Defensive coordinator, North Carolina State (1980-1982)

• Secondary coordinator, Ohio State (1979)

• Secondary coordinator, Iowa State (1978)

• Graduate assistant, Arkansas (1977)

• Graduate assistant, Pacific (1973-1976)

Fit with Bears

Bears fans woke up on Christmas morning with a different kind of caroling when it was reported that Carroll was interested in the team's head coach vacancy. It turns out the feeling was mutual, and the two sides met last week to discuss the opportunity. Carroll is one of the most successful head coaches of the 2010s, having taken the Seahawks to the playoffs 10 times in 14 years. His charisma and energy permeate throughout the building, and even as he enters his mid-70s, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Carroll is also effective at motivating young players and connecting with his locker room, something the Bears can use. Chicago was lacking in that department under Matt Eberflus, and someone like Carroll would establish an improved culture. He played an instrumental role in the development of Russell Wilson, helping make him a perennial Pro Bowl quarterback despite being a defensive coach. That's Carroll's strength on the field, though.

Seattle was known for their "Legion of Boom" defense in the 2010s, one of the best defensive units in football history. Carroll helped build that defense, which led them to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory during the 2013 season. As a secondary specialist, his development of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor was paramount in the team's success. Each one of those players was drafted under his watch, too, showing he has an eye for talent. Carroll could turn the Bears secondary into a force of nature as well with the amount of talent at the position group.

They said it...

"If you've done martial arts, [Carroll's] like your sensei, your master. He unlocks the greatest potential in guys in ways that are unique and out of the ordinary. If you came into the building at times during my time there and walked into a team meeting, you might see music blasting, guys shooting baskets, you might see Pete playing one-on-one against one of the players. And you might think, ‘How is this guy running this program? These guys are about to go 0-16.' But it's the way he talks to his players individually. How he cares. How he checks on them. How he talks to them during games, during practices, wanting to understand what they're going through, what they're thinking, what they're seeing out there. It's the moments and times where you push and pull, where you poke and prod. Where you have a routine."

--Richard Sherman on Pete Carroll as a teacher (via Fox Sports)

Bottom line

Should the Bears wind up hiring Carroll, he would instantly raise the floor of the franchise and get buy-in from his players. But how long can that be sustained? He will be 74 at the start of the 2025 season, and if he is with a team, he would become the oldest head coach in NFL history. Despite the endless amount of energy he has, at some point he will want to slow down, and it's fair to wonder how long he would last in another head coaching position.

The other question surrounding Carroll is who he would bring as his coaching staff. Despite being the Seahawks coach for 14 years, Carroll had a good amount of stability with his coordinators, which is a rarity in today's NFL. Still, getting the playcaller correct is crucial for the development of Caleb Williams, and guys like Darrell Bevell or Brian Schottenheimer aren't the hottest of names. Carroll has connections, though, and he should be able to find competent coordinators to work if he were to land the job.

At the end of the day, though, it seems there are better options out there for the Bears that have the opportunity to stick around for 7-10 years. It's a strong pool of coaching candidates to choose from, and in a different year, Carroll would likely be at the top of the list for many teams. Given his age and the need for a stable offensive playcaller, he's probably in the second tier of options for the Bears.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC candidate: Does Pete Carroll make sense in Chicago?