Pete Carroll has been removed as the head coach of the Seahawks but could still remain with the organization, ESPN reported on Wednesday morning.
Carroll finishes his tenure as the fourth-most profitable head coach against the spread (ATS) as an underdog over the last 20 years, according to our data guru Evan Abrams.
The 72-year-old finished his tenure in Seattle 57-40-3 ATS (59%) as an underdog, behind just Mike Tomlin (63%), John Harbaugh (61%) and Sean Payton (60%) for the best marks of all-time.
Carroll also set the Seahawks record for playoff appearances by one coach. The former USC head made the playoffs 10 times. All other Seahawks coaches combined for 10 total playoff appearances.
The news comes after a disappointing season that saw the Seahawks narrowly miss the playoffs despite having been massive favorites to do so earlier in the year.
A pivotal home loss to Mason Rudolph — a third-stringer — and the Steelers in Seattle was the nail in the coffin. The Seahawks gave up 30 points to a below-average offense, highlighting the massive problems Seattle had in its secondary — and defense overall — this season.
With a league-average defense, this team is likely cakewalking into the playoffs. Geno Smith played an admirable year, ranking No. 13 overall among qualifying quarterbacks at expected points added per play plus completion percentage over expected (EPA/play + CPOE).
But it was the defense — ranked No. 30 overall at EPA/play — that let the team down. And Carroll is a defense-first coach.
Carroll will now join a myriad of other worthy, premium-level coaches that are available in the marketplace this offseason. Jim Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald are among the best obtainable selections.
The teams with new head coach openings are the Chargers, Raiders, Panthers, Falcons, Commanders and, now, the Seahawks.
