NFL Rumors: Pete Carroll Meeting Eyed by Bears as HC Notified Teams About Interest

The Chicago Bears are reportedly interested in meeting with a legendary head coach following Matt Eberflus' firing.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Bears are eyeing former Seattle Seahawks coach Peter Carroll after he informed teams that he wants to coach in 2025. According to Breer, Chicago "at the very least, would like to sit down and talk with him."

Carroll, who coached his final season with the Seahawks last year after 14 years at the helm, "has expressed interest" in the Bears head coaching job and "would like to return to the sidelines next season," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week.

Schefter also reported that, as of last week, Carroll hadn't yet spoken to any teams.

Along with the Bears, the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets have vacant head coach positions, though there will likely be more in the coming weeks as the regular season comes to an end.

Schefter noted Carroll's particular interest in the Bears being due to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who played at USC.

Carroll, 73, was USC's head coach from 2001 to 2009, leading the Trojans to a national championship in 2004. After leaving USC, he was the Seahawks head coach from 2010 to 2023, winning a Super Bowl in 2014.

He's one of just four head coaches to have won both a national title and a Super Bowl.

The Bears fired Eberflus on Nov. 29 following a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions that ended with clock mismanagement. Chicago, sitting at 4-12 on the year, will end its season against the Green Bay Packers next week.

While the Bears are far from being a Super Bowl contender, they could be an ideal situation for Carroll as he likely enters the final years of his coaching career. They have a quarterback with potential in Williams, who has thrown for 3,393 yards and 19 touchdowns, and solid offensive weapons around him in wide receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze.

The legendary Carroll has little left to prove at this point, but he could add to his legacy by whipping the Bears into playoff shape.