Pete Carroll waited a year after leaving theSeattle Seahawksto become the head coach of theLas Vegas Raiders. But following his 3-14 record in 2025, it was pretty evident he was getting fired. However, unlike the last time, it did not take him a year to bounce back from the setback. According to reports, Carroll is set to become a head coach once again, four months after losing his job in the NFL.
"It's an incredible honor to be part of the adidas Polynesian Bowl and to serve as a head coach," said Pete Carroll, as reported via a press release on the Polynesian Bowl's X account. "The Polynesian community has given so much to football at every level. This event is about more than football—it's about celebrating culture, family, and the tremendous talent of these young men."
Pete Carroll will serve as the head coach of Team MAKAI at the 2027 adidas Polynesian Bowl alongside Mack Brown. The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame and its organizing committee, including co-founders Jesse Sapolu and Ma'a Tanuvasa, are responsible for selecting either of them.
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The Polynesian Bowl has been active since 2017, and it is the first time that someone with a record as Carroll will be coaching at the premier, NCAA-level, high-school all-star game. Carroll will be the first coach here who has won both a national championship and a Super Bowl as a head coach. Previous HCs like Doug Pederson and Gary Kubiak have won the Super Bowl, but Carroll has achieved both. Pete's resume shows why he was selected for this job.
The former NFL HC won Super Bowl XLVIII with theSeattle Seahawksand the National Championship with the USC Trojans in 2003 and 2004. He is only the third HC behind Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer to achieve this feat. The gig will also mark the former Raiders HC's return to a college-level bowl game after 17 years, as the 2010 Rose Bowl was the last time he attended the game as an HC.
Before serving as theSeattle Seahawks' head coach for 14 seasons, Pete Caroll served as theNew York Jetshead coach (1994) and theNew England Patriots(1997 to 1999). Then, he moved to college football with USC and turned them into a top-ranked contender from 2001 to 2009. Under his guidance, USC won seven consecutive conference championships and an AP national championship.
After leading USC to a major turnaround, Caroll once again returned to the NFL and led the Seattle Seahawks to 10 playoff appearances, five division titles, and two consecutive Super Bowls (including the franchise's first Super Bowl win). Additionally, the team also led the league in scoring defense for four consecutive seasons under the former head coach. He then moved to theLas Vegas Raiders, where he worked as a head coach for a year, and will now lead the 2027 Polynesian Bowl.
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Former Super Bowl winners Jesse Sapolu and Ma'a Tanuvasa founded the all-star game in 2017, and by selecting popular faces as head coaches, they are trying to expand the game's reach. Speaking about this year's head coach lineup, Jesse Sapolu, Chairman of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, noted:
"Having Mack Brown and Pete Carroll lead the adidas Polynesian Bowl is truly special. They are legendary leaders who reflect the values of our game and our community, and we're proud to have them help guide these young men."
While Carroll seems to be back on track with the Polynesian Bowl, it was not the same a few months ago.
Pete Carroll was fired from the Raiders only after a year
Following the 2024 season, theRaidersreplaced Antonio Pierce with Carroll after a 4-13 season. Everyone believed things were going to get better, especially after hiring a Super Bowl-winning head coach like Carroll. However, last season, he could only manage three wins.
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Out of the 17 games, he lost 14, finished with a 0.176 record, the worst in his career. Pete Caroll has been a head coach for over three decades now, at both NCAA and NFL stages, but he has never had a season with such a low number. Be it the NFL or the NCAA, he has always won a minimum of six games in a season.
However, the low numbers can't be associated solely with Carroll's head coaching skills. There were several reasons behind a poor showing. Firstly, Carroll was stubborn in playingGeno Smithas the quarterback, even though he led the league in interceptions. There were younger options, but the HC did not use them. He knew him from his time in Seattle and became too confident in his abilities.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders Nov 23, 2025 Paradise, Nevada, USA Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith 7 talks to head coach Pete Carroll in game against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Paradise Allegiant Stadium Nevada USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStephenxR.xSylvaniex 20251123_srs_lvcle_008
Second, they hired Chip Kelly as the highest-paid offensive coordinator and drafted RBAshton Jeantyin the first round. Both were believed to be winning moves. But the Raiders flunked, and their losing streak reached double figures. In Week 15, they suffered a humiliating blowout 31-0 defeat against thePhiladelphia Eagles.
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As a result, the team dismissed Kelly and special teams coach Tom McMahon during the season. Even first-round pick Jeanty wasn't that productive. In 266 attempts, he added 975 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged only 3.7 yards per attempt. Although they defeated theKansas City Chiefsin Week 18, it was not enough to keep Carroll for the second year of his three-year contract.
But that's all in the past as the head coach is looking forward to his new role. Although he will be waiting a few more months, he will be making some calls once again. Carroll has an impressive 7-2 record in Bowl games. It will be interesting to see if he can make it 8 in January 2027, against Mack Brown's Team MAUKA.
