Seattle Seahawks Officially Announce Carroll As Head Coach

NFL News - January 11th, 2010 - Written by John

With breaking news already swallowing the story whole, it's been an afterthought for days that the Seattle Seahawks would make the official announcement about their underground agreement with Pete Carroll to become the team's new head coach.

Monday, the deal was stamped, according to ESPN. In one of the quickest coaching turnovers in recent memory, Carroll resigned from his post at USC and inked a contract with the Seahawks, replacing Jim Mora after just one year with the team.

"We are excited to add Pete as our coach. He brings a great passion for winning and a positive attitude that is contagious," said CEO Tod Leiweke. "We now turn our full attention to the hiring process for a general manager. Our intended structure is for Pete and the new GM to work in a collaborative capacity on football matters."

Carroll will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. Monday, only after he speaks with his former players, some of which are already shaken by the news.

"I can't believe we're one of those teams looking for a new coach," Trojan sophomore Malik Jackson told ESPN. "I'd heard about it all weekend, but I'm still kind of surprised.

"I don't blame him though. We all have to make decisions in our lives. If I could've said something that'd make him come back, I would've. But I'm not mad at him. He has to do what he thinks is best for himself. Everybody does."

The deal was apparently in the works for a couple weeks following USC's Emerald Bowl win over Boston College and the end of the 2009 NFL Season.

Seattle finished 5-11 in Mora's only season, and there was unrest in the front office with the departure of general manager Tim Ruskell and president Mike Holmgren. The Seahawks are still searching for a G.M., but it is believed Carroll will have far reaching power in all football matters.

Carroll spent the last 10 seasons at USC after a brief stint as head coach of the New England Patriots. The Trojans reached a BCS bowl game every year since 2003, and won at least a share of the national title in 2003 and 2005. He coached three Heisman Trophy winners, but couldn't escape criticism as his team lost four games in '09, and the school became the center of an NCAA investigation of improper benefits.

2006 Heisman winner Reggie Bush is still being probed for his role in his family receiving money and housing during his stay at USC, and running back Joe McKnight, who just bolted for the NFL, is being investigated for suspiciously driving a luxury SUV around campus. Both have vehemently denied any wrongdoing, but the school has begun to feel the pressure. Some say Carroll was too, although he insisted the probes had nothing to do with his decision to leave the school now.

"Not in any way," Carroll told the newspaper. "Because I know where we stand. It's just a process we have to go through. We know we've fought hard to do right."

Seattle had been courting him ever since it's preliminary interview a week ago, and has been criticized for making what some consider a mockery of the Rooney Rule, which orders teams to interview at least one minority candidate before hiring a coach. African-American defensive coach Leslie Frasier agreed to interview for the job on Saturday, but it was clearly just a formality.

Carroll was the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets from 1990 to 1993 before being picked to be the team's head coach in '94.

He then took over in New England from '97-'99, where he made the playoffs once, and finished with a career record of 27-21.