Pete Carroll is now head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders while Ben Johnson is at the helm of the Chicago Bears. However, there is a world where neither of those statements are facts.
Before hiring Johnson, the Bears brought Pete Carroll in for an interview. With Chicago in need of some structure, hiring a veteran coach with years of team building experience, Carroll made sense as a candidate. Ultimately though, the Bears could not turn down what Johnson brings to the table.
Still, Carroll began to think about life with the Chicago Bears. He envisioned the franchise’s turnaround and how he’d get Caleb Williams back on track. While he ended up with the Raiders, Carroll was very much interested in taking on the Bears gig if offered, via Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“They haven’t won a lot recently, it’s a big challenge, a big opportunity to turn things around,” Carroll said. “I feel pretty confident about having an effect as we start a change like this. I’ve been through it a couple times. There’s an excitement about that in that setting, to get that thing turned around in a division that’s so tough, just like ours is now.”
“There was just a lot of really positive things about it,” Carroll continued. “Of course, the quarterback was an exciting part of it. The Trojan background and all that kind of stuff was fun.”
Pete Carroll, Caleb Williams USC connection
Before becoming the Seattle Seahawks head coach in 2010, Pete Carroll was the lead man at USC from 2001-2009. In that time, he led the Trojans to two National Championships, four Rose Bowl titles and an overall record of 97-19.
Twelve years after Carroll’s departure, a quarterback named Caleb Williams stepped onto USC’s campus. He proceeded to throw for 10,082 yards, 10,082 yards and 93 touchdowns while running for another 966 yards and 27 scores. Among his many accolades, Williams was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2023.
While their paths never crossed at USC, both Carroll and Williams have deep ties to the university. The quarterback is still being molded into the best NFL quarterback he could be. Alongside their USC connection, Carroll savored the idea of being the coach to mentor him.
Envisioning Pete Carroll as Chicago Bears head coach
While Carroll was also head coach of the New York Jets and New England Patriots, he is most known for his time with the Seahawks. Seattle went 137-89-1 under Carroll, winning the Super Bowl in 2013.
During his tenure, Carroll mentored rising quarterback Russell Wilson. Over their 158 games together, Wilson threw for 37,059 yards and 292 touchdowns while running for another 4,689 yards and 23 touchdowns. The quarterback was named a Pro Bowler nine times throughout his career, ultimately writing his name in the Seahawks history books.
Now, Wilson and Williams are two completely different quarterbacks. However, Carroll at least knows how to get a young quarterback to play to his fullest. Carroll would have to change his regimen, but he’s proven he can lead a QB to long-term success.
Offense isn’t Carroll’s only forte either. The Seahawks’ defenses stood out routinely during his tenure, with the secondary at one point being referred to as the, ‘Legion of Boom.’ In 2013, they led the league in total defense, allowing 273.6 yards per game.
Of course, all of this is hypothetical. Carroll’s success with the Seahawks came nearly a decade ago. He still has to prove himself with the Raiders and the Chicago Bears are more than content with Ben Johnson. Still, Carroll sees the vision in Chicago. And while he might now be on the other side of the country, he is impressed with what the Bears are building.
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