If leading his team to the playoffs at 9-8 in what many thought would be a rebuilding year in 2022 was any indication, age hasn't slowed Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll down one bit. At soon to be 72 years old, Carroll remains as good as any head coach in the NFL, and his ability to stay current apparently also extends to the playing field itself.
During Seahawks practice on Thursday, the team shared that Pete Carroll made a cameo at quarterback, showing that he still had some of his athletic and improvisational skills by throwing on the move, directing traffic and even tossing a couple of touchdown passes. Though he didn't face much of anything in terms of a pass rush -- and some passes may have been cleverly edited -- it was quite the impressive showing for a man Carroll's age.
QB Pete coming soon to Quarterback on @netflix 📺 pic.twitter.com/CEskVNUtLr
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 18, 2023
Carroll's live arm is attributable in part to his days as a high school quarterback at Redwood High School in Larkspur, Calif. As a multi-position player who also played wide receiver and defensive back, Carroll's playing career would eventually culminate in his playing free safety at the University of the Pacific. Carroll would make the move to coaching shortly afterwards, a profession he has now devoted a half-century to.
Carroll's on-field highlights were followed by mock condemnations from Snoop Dogg, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and comedian Will Ferrell, all of whom got on the Seahawks head coach about showing up his players in a video posted by the Seahawks on Saturday.
"I got a video earlier today from one of your practices. It has me very concerned," Goodell said. "I keep hearing about the abuse that you're putting on your defensive secondary, shredding them every day with your passes and your running."
You wouldn't believe how many responses I've gotten since this clip was posted!!! https://t.co/ZTBj10moYf pic.twitter.com/qULMFeqeg7
— Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) August 19, 2023
On Sundays, however, quarterback duties for the Seahawks will be left to Geno Smith for the second straight season. Smith took over as Seattle's starting quarterback in 2022 and enjoyed the best season of his NFL career, leading the league in completion percentage on his way to his first-ever Pro Bowl nod and Comeback Player of the Year honors after many seasons as a backup.
