The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to dismiss Doug Pederson sooner rather than later. Although Bill Belichick is no longer a candidate to replace him, they will have no shortage of candidates in the next hiring cycle. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, for one, thinks the Jags should reach out to a former Super Bowl-winning head coach to fill their eventual vacancy.
Knox looked for the ideal fit for all openings in the next hiring cycle and had Pete Carroll going to Jacksonville, arguing that he has a proven track record of turning things around. Moreover, he took the Hawks to the playoffs several times throughout his stint in Emerald City.
"Carroll, who has won both a national championship and a Super Bowl, is a quality coach who knows exactly how to assemble a successful staff and how to motivate a locker room. He also has a track record of turning around teams quickly. USC won a national championship in his fourth season, and Seattle won Super Bowl XLVIII in his fourth year.
The Seahawks also made the playoffs 10 times in 14 seasons under Carroll.
Jacksonville may have reservations about his age—he'll turn 74 next September—but it would likely accept a limited window if it means becoming a title contender."
After turning USC into a college powerhouse in the mid-2000s, Carroll became the Seahawks head coach in 2010. Even though they had a losing record that year, they made the playoffs and even upset the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round. Seattle made back-to-back appearances in 2013 and 2014, winning one and losing the other to the New England Patriots.
But after years of diminished returns, Carroll was given the boot after the 2023 season. After a one-year hiatus, he's ready to return to the NFL sidelines, with him expressing interest in the Chicago Bears opening.
The Bears can already interview Carrell if they want to. After all, he's not currently employed and they already dismissed Matt Eberflus earlier this year. However, it's uncertain if there's mutual interest, and whether he'll be a legitimate candidate in the next hiring cycle. In fact, there are currently no reports linking the former Seahawks head coach to the Jaguars even though they'll probably give Pederson his walking papers after the season ends.
Why Pete Carroll probably won't be a fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars could always retain Doug Pederson. That's a possibility when you take into account that owner Shad Khan has consistently shown patience and given his head coaches plenty of time to prove themselves before he makes a decision. But if he ends up pulling the trigger, there will be better candidates than Pete Carroll to fill the vacancy.
Sure, making the playoffs 10 times in 14 seasons is no walk in the park. However, Seattle never returned to the Super Bowl or even made the NFC Championship after 2014. This is to say that Carroll delivered diminished results as his tenure with the Hawks went on. On top of that, his defensive background may not be the best fit in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars need a head coach who can get the most out of Trevor Lawrence, and Carroll's strength isn't working with quarterbacks. Maybe if he could bring in an ascending offensive mind, he would have a better case. Having said that, Ben Johnson, Liam Coehn, and Wes Phillips currently look like better alternatives.
Having said that, if the Jaguars think Carroll could turn things around, they should most definitely reach out the them. Still, it would be a bit surprising to see them making a run for him when you take into account that Doug Pederson also had a proven track record but was unable to recreate his success in Duval.
Of course, Pederson and Carroll are different coaches with different skill sets, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are probably better off going all-in on Johnson, or Coen.