Sources: Carroll, Seahawks Agree To Contract In Principle

It’s not quite official, but all signs point to Pete Carroll bolting from USC and becoming the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Multiple sources have reported that both sides have agreed in principle to a contract that would pay Carroll $7 million-per-year for five years.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports:

Carroll was fully expected to be introduced by the Seahawks as early as Monday, assuming they comply with the Rooney Rule this weekend.

The hangup could be locating a candidate to interview that would put the Seahawks in compliance with the rule, which requires teams to interview a minority candidate for head-coaching and senior-football-operations hires. […]

But the bottom line is, Carroll’s agreement with Seattle is “100 percent done,” one NFL source close to the situation said.

Bear in mind: the last time Pete Carrol coached in the NFL, it was… not spectacular. In college, Pete Carroll was excellent at running a program, and indeed, his USC teams consistently had superior talent to their opponents. That’s part of the game in college, and part of what made Carroll one of the game's true titans.

In the NFL, however, it’s a level playing field, and Carroll’s track record is far less glamorous. At 33-31, he’s been solid, but his Jets and Patriots teams were famous for late-season swoons. Will Carroll’s third stop in the NFL be the charm for Seattle?

Maybe, but at $35 million it’s a big, big gamble.