Patriots Staffer Rewatching USC-Texas: No Wonder Carroll Threw in Super Bowl 49

Even in the offseason, Pete Carroll can't escape the pain of the two biggest losses of his career: Super Bowl XLIX with the Seattle Seahawks and the 2006 Rose Bowl with USC. 

On Thursday night, as ESPN re-aired the classic BCS title game, the two converged in a single tweet from Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel, relaying a text from a New England Patriots staffer. 

On fourth down late in the game with USC holding on to a shrinking lead, Carroll made a bold decision to hand the ball off to LenDale White at midfield with nearly two minutes left in the game. White needed to gain two yards to earn a first down. Texas stopped him after gaining one. 

The play turned the game for Texas and led to Vince Young orchestrating an epic comeback for the win. 

Fast-forward nearly a decade later, and Carroll is with the Seahawks facing a similar decision in the Super Bowl. With Seattle on the one-yard line and down four points with 26 seconds left, Carroll decided to call for a pass rather than hand it off to his Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch. 

The result was another epic moment in football history as New England's Malcolm Butler picked off quarterback Russell Wilson to seal the victory for the Patriots. It remains one of the most mind-boggling moments in Super Bowl history. 

Thursday night was another brutal reminder of Carroll's worst moments as a coach. Fortunately, he has rings from winning a national title, Super Bowl and four Rose Bowls to console him.