Originally the plan this week was to do an end-of-season Seahawks mailbag, answering your questions about the season that was, about the offseason ahead and whatever else you all had in mind. But with Wednesday's news that the Seahawks and Pete Carroll had come to the decision to end his tenure as head coach, we're changing things up and using this space for you, the fans to share some of your favorite memories or stories about the winningest coach in franchise history. We'll get back to your regularly-scheduled mailbag soon, for now, we're giving Carroll his well-deserved flowers.
Marco from Bibbiena, Italy
"You made me have fun, you are making me cry, you have excited me and you have made me fall in love with this magnificent team. You created a culture, you gave Football the Legion of Boom, you made history.
"Thank you for everything, Coach Pete Carroll."
Well said, Marco, you nailed it.
For those unfamiliar with Matty, he is one of the biggest football nerds (I mean that in a good way), I've had the pleasure to meet, but he happens to be British, so he isn't around for many things in person, though he does hop on the occasional zoom press conference. I had the pleasure of meeting, and sharing a few beers with, Matty in Munich, but I wasn't aware Carroll had done this after the press conference. Thanks for Sharing, Matty.
Craig from Toronto writes that Marshawn Lynch's "Beastquake" run was the "undeniable moment that my fandom went into the deep end." Craig also shared a link to a post he wrote on linkedin on how Carroll’s leadership style helped him find his own identity, adding, "Pete said yesterday that 'the essence of being as good as you can be is to figure out who you are,' I think he'd be surprised at how many people he helped with that exact challenge of figuring out who they wanted to be."
Thanks for sharing, Craig, one of the unique things about Carroll's tenure in Seattle was how many people's lives he touched outside of football. His philosophies and methods extend far beyond football.
Ellen from Buffalo Creek, Colorado
"When my son was about 12 (now 26) I sat down with him to watch a Seahawks game as a way to connect. It turned out to be the beginning of the wild ride led by Coach Pete. We were hooked. Through the years we continued to gather around the TV as a family or discuss the games over texts when we were not together. I became a weekly press conference viewer. My teens, now mid-20s son and daughter, learned life lessons about teamwork, grit and resilience watching Pete help his players realize their potential. These lessons transfer beyond Sunday football and into their own pursuits. His impact goes beyond the organization. Coach and his players have touched countless lives. Finally, his energy is an inspiration to those of us who are getting older than we'd like to admit.
"Thank you, Coach Pete. We love you!"
Jon from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
"Not only has Pete Carroll been a great coach and earned us our only Lombardi trophy, he - along with other Seahawk leaders - have created an enviable culture of character, community service, and honor. Pete has left us very well and we are grateful for his leadership."
I had never heard about this, nor do I have any clue if it's true, but I'm choosing to believe it because "Pete getting Thurderstix banned in the Pac-10" is a pretty hilarious small addition to his impressive legacy
This is a great one. Obviously that Super Bowl XLIX loss really stung, but the way Carroll handled it immediately after, and moving forward, including into what ended up being a really good 2015 season, was one of his best moments. Great example of facing adversity head on and moving forward.
Indeed, Pete was great with the press conference quips. His favorite, which I always enjoyed—and occasionally ended up on the receiving end of—was when someone would ask, "How do you plan on handling/dealing with, etc." a certain situation, and Carroll would pause for a beat and say, "really well" with a big grin on his face.
Named head coach on January 11, 2010, Pete Carroll became the eighth head coach in Seahawks history after one of the most successful runs in USC history in the college ranks. Take a look at photos from throughout his time in Seattle.
Former Southern California coach Pete Carroll smiles as he is introduced as the new head coach and executive vice president of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team during a news conference,on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, at Seahawks headquarters in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left of center, watches a play from the sideline during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll walks on the sideline during the first half an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, center right, leads his team in cheering in a post-game huddle after they upset the New Orleans Saints in an NFL NFC wild card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 41-36. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talks to his team during the first half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh before an NFL football game in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, and special teams coordinator Brian Schneider react after an officials review of a touchdown reception for them against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll watches a drill during NFL football training camp Tuesday, July 30, 2013, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll signs autographs for fans before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll answers a question during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, center, watches his team play against the Denver Broncos during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Seahawks won 43-8. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
El entrenador de los Seahawks, Pete Carroll, sostiene el trofeo de campeón del Súper Bowl el 2 de febrero de 2014 tras vencer a los Broncos de Denver en Nueva York. Los Seahawks enfrentan a los Patriots en el Súper Bowl el 1 de febrero de 2015, en Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, center, throws his arms around Richard Sherman (25) and Doug Baldwin before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll greets airline employees and their families on the team's return from the Super Bowl Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Wash. The Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots on Sunday. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, shakes hands with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll high-fives Seahawks Jermaine Kearse (15) as Will Tukuafu (46) looks on during the first half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, center, walks on the field as players stretch during warmups before NFL football practice Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015 in Renton, Wash. The Seahawks will face the Green Bay Packers Sunday in the NFC Championship game. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll yells on the sideline during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll speaks to the media following an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll looks at the scoreboard during the first half of an NFL wild-card football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll takes the field with his players during warmups before an NFL football preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, right, talks with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, before an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll walks on the sideline in the rain during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, left, speaks with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Atlanta. The Seattle Seahawks won 27-20. AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll during a NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020 in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams defeated the Seahawks 23-16. (John McGillen via AP)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, second from right, watches a play along side field judge Dyrol Prioleau (109), line judge Mark Steinkerchner (84) and umpire Bryan Neale (92) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talks to reporters after NFL football practice Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll reacts to fans after their win over the Houston Texans in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Head coach Pete Carroll reacts as Seattle takes the lead.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll celebrates as the sideline erupts at the final whistle of their victory over the Titans.
Quarterback Geno Smith drops back during early warmups as head coach Pete Carroll playfully "blitzes".
