For every Bill Walsh, Tom Coughlin, and Jimmy Johnson, there is a Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and Bobby Patrino. Not every head coach who went from college to the NFL found success. Some didn't simply fail; they failed terribly. That was not the case with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, though.
Others succeeded so well that, when it was all said and done, they not only won a lot, but also had a Super Bowl ring etched into their football resumes. Carroll belongs in that category. Carroll is one of the Walshes, Coughlins, and Johnsons.
The greatest coach in Seahawks history jumped from USC to Seattle in 2010. His two college titles eventually translated into an NFL Super Bowl, with a ton of wins along the way. Carroll, though, wouldn't have found the success he did without his players. In that light, during his Seahawks tenure, the following 25 names were some of the best Carroll ever had.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Sidney Rice was one of the Seahawks' best locker-room leaders and voices right when Carroll began his coaching tenure. In three seasons and 33 games, Rice totaled 1,463 yards and 12 touchdowns, and led all receivers with 50 receptions and 748 yards during Russell Wilson's rookie season.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider often praised Rice for his leadership and for representing the organization's core values. He was also a speedy kick returner when the special teams called on him. Rice wasn't around for long, but while he was in Seattle, he was impactful, effective, and a Super Bowl winner.
Perhaps no wide receiver was more clutch and timely for the Seahawks in the playoffs than Jermaine Kearse. He was never a No. 1 target, but Kearse showed up at key postseason moments, including scoring touchdowns in both of Seattle's Super Bowls (XLVIII and XLIX).
His third-quarter tackle-breaking touchdown against the Denver Broncos and sideline tightrope-dragging grab against the New England Patriots are memorable Seahawks playoff moments. Kearse's was one of Seattle's most reliable pass-catchers, but will always be remembered for his clutch hands and feet when it mattered most.
As an underdog seventh-round draft pick who rose to Super Bowl MVP status, Malcolm Smith became the first defensive player to win the championship MVP award in more than a decade after racking up 10 tackles, a fumble recovery, and a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Smith was part of the "Legion of Boom" era despite never being considered one of the core members of that legendary group. Still, his impact on Carroll's defense during that time was essential, as it was at USC, where he also played under Carroll and continued to embody his coach's philosophy of extreme effort and constantly running to the ball.
Bruce Irvin was a key explosive pass rusher and an impactful strongside linebacker during the height of Seattle's "Legion of Boom" era, and he never backed down from a fight. Irvin built his career on high-motor intensity on every snap and relentless hustle that created clutch broken-play pressures and turnovers.
Irvin was essential to the Seahawks' Super Bowl win, and although he left shortly after the two-year back-to-back run, the team welcomed him back with open arms twice more. Carroll often spoke of Irvin's leadership and mentorship in his final seasons with the Seahawks, and he is remembered as one of their most impactful defensive supporters.
"Hausch-money" was quietly one of Seattle's best and most relied-upon players under Carroll during their Super Bowl runs and his tenure before and after. Stephen Hauschka was a remarkably accurate and incredibly reliable kicker, logging multiple regular seasons with accuracy rates well above 90% and reliably delivering from 50+ yards out.
Hauschka was fire under pressure, and it helped the Seahawks win countless games. He finished his Seahawks career holding franchise records for most total field goals made (175) and most consecutive games scoring (94). Hauschka's nickname was well deserved.
Fan favorite and franchise icon Jon Ryan wasn't just a punter; he also played quarterback for a brief moment that changed everything for the Seahawks. During the 2014 NFC Championship comeback win against the Green Bay Packers, Ryan tossed a 19-yard touchdown pass that helped propel the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
Ryan was beloved in Seattle and a great person, too. Carroll has never relied on a punter more than Ryan, who still holds franchise records of 770 total punts, 34,492 punting yards, and 276 punts pinned inside the 20-yard line, averaging 44.8 yards per punt to this day. Ryan's punt execution was elite, and there will never be another like him in Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Russell Okung was the first draft pick to come from Schnedier's and Carroll's general manager-head coach partnership. Okung was selected sixth overall in 2010 and became an integral piece of Carroll's offense.
The Pro Bowler played in both of Seattle's Super Bowls, was an impact blindside protector, and an ironman, starting in all 72 regular-season games he played during his six-year run in Seattle.
More than that, Okung was a man of the people, Seattle's people. In 2012, his team nominated him for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for the work he did off the field. Okung was just as impactful in the community as he was on the offensive line.
Brandon Mebane was as dependable as they get. Under Carroll, the man who took the MC Hammer-inspired "Belly Roll' sack celebration to the gridiron was a stalwart on Seattle's defensive line. His move to nose tackle in 2011 helped transform the Seahawks' run defense into one of the league's best.
During the Seahawks' 2013 championship run, Mebane started in every game that season as a true interior line anchor. Mebane's impact was even greater during 2012-2015, when the Seahawks defense led the NFL in scoring defense for four straight years. They were the only team in the Super Bowl era to do that, and Mebane was literally at the center of it all.
A sack machine, if there ever was one, Frank Clark knew how to get to the quarterback, and his numbers prove it. Clark was Carroll's defensive explosive monster who could, almost at will, get behind the opposing team's offensive line and pressure the quarterback.
Many of his explosive plays in the backfield came from multiple positions along the defensive front, since he wasn't limited to just one position.
In his four years in Seattle, Clark recorded 35 sacks, including a team-leading 10 in 2016 and a career-high 13 two years later. During Carroll's final year in Seattle, Clark returned briefly, serving as a mentor and leader before being released. He hasn't been heard from since, but the Seahawks heard plenty from him in the old days.
Golden Tate's greatest asset as a wide receiver was what he could do after the catch. Tate's yards-after-catch numbers were elite during his Seahawks tenure, and it's what made him one of their biggest offensive threats. At the time, Tate was a league leader in breaking tackles after the catch and turning short passes or screens into big gains.
In 2012, Tate made the famous but controversial Hail Mary reception against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, later dubbed the "Fail Mary." Tate wasn't the biggest wide receiver in the NFL, but he never let that affect him, and he even became an effective blocker when Wilson wasn't looking for him downfield.
Every great quarterback needs a center who connects easily with him. In his early days, Wilson was great, and Max Unger was that connected center. Initially starting at right guard in his rookie season, Carroll moved Unger to center the following year, and it was one of his best early coaching moves. Unger would go on to earn First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors by 2012, and a championship.
Unger anchored Seattle's offensive line for four years, and his impact was so great that years after Schneider traded him to the New Orleans Saints for tight end Jimmy Graham, it left a long-term void on the offensive line that took years to reshape.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin | USA TODAY Sports
One of the "Legion of Boom" originals, Brandon Browner was a ball-hawking safety who effectively used his height and size to hold down Seattle's secondary. During his two years with the Seahawks, he and other secondary members formed one of the most intimidating defensive back groups and jammed up receivers before they could split.
Browner led Seattle with six interceptions in his 2011 debut season, earning a Pro Bowl nod. He totaled 10 interceptions, 39 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and a Super Bowl ring, but being part of the "Legion of Boom" was Browner's crowning achievement.
Chris Carson was Carroll's second-best running back during his Seahawks coaching tenure. Carson came after the Super Bowl runs, but his rushing was on display and was among the best in the league at the time. Carson ran fierce and physical, sought out contact, and wasn't afraid to absorb whatever punishment that came with it.
Coaches and teammates often lauded Carson as a foundational player in Seattle, and he was the first back to rush for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons (1,151 yards in 2018 and 1,057 yards in 2019) since the first and best running back to play for Carroll in Seattle.
No one ever said that Doug Baldwin possessed elite top-end deep speed. They would say, however, that he was quick off the line of scrimmage, had precise footwork, and ran routes with excellent precision. Baldwin was one of Wilson's best wideouts because of his knack for getting open, and getting open often.
Baldwin was also an exceptional downfield blocker, and when you pair that with his 493 receptions for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns over eight seasons in Seattle, he ranks among the franchise's greatest pass-catchers.
Another "Legion of Boom" core member, Michael Bennet could lead the pass rush from the inside and outside with class and violence. He was versatile and disruptive, with elite speed and a legendary presence on and off the field. Bennett commanded respect from his teammates because of who he was as a football player and as a person.
During his five seasons under Carroll, Bennett racked up 39 total sacks and 69 tackles for loss, earning three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2015-2017. During Seattle's championship run, he led the team with 8.5 sacks. Bennett was integral to Carroll's success and the Seahawks' relentless defensive attack.
After college, DK Metcalf was supposed to be a franchise-changing offensive weapon. It started that way in his six seasons with Seattle, five of them under Carroll.
Metcalf recorded three 1,000-yard receiving campaigns, setting a single-season franchise record with 1,303 receiving yards in 2020, and joined elite company as one of the only receivers in NFL history to start his career with at least 50 receptions, 900 yards, and 5 touchdowns in each of his first six seasons.
Metcalf was electric and one of the league's fastest wideouts across the NFL before Carroll left Seattle and, eventually, before Metcalf left. Carroll had never had a pass catcher that matched Metcalf's talent or ability, easily making him Carroll's best wide receiver in his long NFL coaching career.
Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cliff Avril was many things for the Seahawks at their peak, but above all, he was a leader and elite pass rusher. Avril was a key factor in the Seahawks' 2013 Super Bowl win over the Broncos when he hit Peyton Manning's arm, forcing a pick-six. Avril excelled at harassing quarterbacks thanks to his explosive speed off the edge.
Alongside Bennett, Avril formed one of the NFL's most destructive defensive end combinations at the time. The duo was virtually unstoppable, as was Seattle's defense during those early "Legion of Boom" days. Avril's six forced fumbles in his 2013 debut season helped the Seahawks know they had someone great on their hands.
K.J. Wright was one of Carroll's top position switchers, playing everything from strongside to weakside to Sam linebacker. Wright could shift just about anywhere within the front seven, making him such a versatile defensive force, and he was one half of the NFL's scariest linebacker duo of the time.
Wright played over 10 seasons under Carroll in Seattle, recording 934 total tackles (third-most in franchise history), earning one Pro Bowl honor in 2016, and winning the Steve Largent Award. Wright was also a respected locker room leader whom Carroll leaned on until Wright walked away and transitioned into coaching.
Whenever Wilson needed a reliable pair of hands, Tyler Lockett was there, or 40 yards downfield. Lockett could have been anywhere, really, and Wilson would find him. Lockett was the perfect example of a selfless leader in his peak years and his later years. Lockett never complained; he only did his job.
Lockett recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2018 to 2022, and ranks second in franchise history with 661 receptions, 8,594 receiving yards, and 69 receiving touchdowns. He is the second Seahawks player on this list to win the Steve Largent Award; he won it three times.
There was once a dustup and a finger-up between Carroll and Earl Thomas that changed their relationship, but Thomas was always one of Carroll's undisputed best secondary players ever. Thomas was dangerously dominant with incredible speed and range, and covered the deep third of the field entirely solo in Seattle's single-high safety scheme.
Thomas could cover so much ground that it let the Seahawks' cornerbacks play man-to-man aggressively without worrying about the top. Thomas was at the core of the "Legion of Boom," a six-time Pro Bowler, a three-time First-Team All-Pro, and a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.He was as elite as there was.
Another core member of Carroll's "Legion of Boom," Kam Chancellor played just as much at defensive line as he did at his proper safety position, but that's what made him great. It's rare to have a 6-foot-3, 225-pound player at safety, but Chancellor was a mutant in that way. His hits were punishing; his presence intimidating; his swagger emotional.
Chancellor was beloved in Seattle and nicknamed "Bam Bam Kam" for everything he could do as a hybrid defender. His alien-like elevation was extra special, but the NFL has since banned leaping over the offensive line to block field goal attempts, a move Chancellor made famous. He earned four Pro Bowls, two second-team All-Pro honors, and one Super Bowl, all in just eight seasons.
Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner | USA TODAY Sports
Marshawn Lynch was just there so he wouldn't get fined. Who can blame him? No one wants to lose money. Of course, he was there for another reason: to unleash "Beast Mode." Lynch was exactly that: a beast. The famous "Beastquake" happened in 2011 against the New Orleans Saints when he broke 11 tackles on a legendary 67-yard touchdown run.
Lynch was Derrick Henry before Derrick Henry, running through bodies and faces like an unhinged freight train. He racked up 6,381 rushing yards and 58 rushing touchdowns for Seattle, ranking second in franchise history in both categories.
Carroll built the team's identity around Lynch's competitive spirit, which transformed the team culture. The "beastquake" still rumbles through the 12s today.
Long before Russell Wilson's time in Seattle fizzled out, he was a smaller version of Michael Vick before the taller Lamar Jackson version arrived, and it made Wilson incredibly dangerous. There weren't many highly capable dual-threat quarterbacks back then, which is why what Wilson was doing on the scramble was so electrifying to watch.
Wilson is the franchise's best quarterback to this day, leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one, and earning nine of his 10 Pro Bowls as a Seahawk.
Wilson never had a losing season in Seattle, with eight playoff berths and 113 wins, setting franchise records for touchdown passes, passing yards, completion percentage, and passer rating. In his prime, Wilson was inimitable.
No one talked the talk or walked the walk like Richard Sherman, and he talked a lot, but he never failed to back it up. As the leader of the "Legion of Boom," Sherman was everything a coach could ask for in a vocal, emotional leader. The outspoken leader was also an elite cornerback in every way, excelling in both man and zone coverage equally.
Sherman racked up massive stats during his Seahawks tenure, including 32 interceptions, 99 passes defended, and 368 total tackles, plus four Pro Bowls, four All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl win. Michael Crabtree hated him. Seattle loved him. He is forever a legend in Seahawks lore and the second-best player in Carroll's era.
Bobby Wagner was the heartbeat of the entire Seahawks team, not just the defense. His ability to diagnose opposing plays spoke to his incredible intellect, and his speed and hustle let him provide sideline-to-sideline coverage better than most players at his position. Wagner was everywhere during the "Legion of Boom" era and served as the primary sideline bridge as the play-caller.
Everything went through Wagner because he saw everything. He recorded 100+ tackles in every season of his career, earned 10 Pro Bowl selections, 11 All-Pro Selections, made the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, and was a three-time NFL Combined Tackles Leader.
Wagner has all the awards, all the accolades, and all the trophies. Above all, though, Wagner was a leader; the greatest leader Carroll ever had.
This article was originally published on www.12thmanrising.com as 25 greatest Seattle Seahawks players of the Pete Carroll era .
