NFL Rumors: Seahawks Working on Pete Carroll's Contract Extension

The Seattle Seahawks are in negotiations with head coach Pete Carroll over a long-term extension, according to CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora.

Carroll and Seattle last agreed to a deal in December 2018, which runs through the 2021 season. La Canfora reported "ownership is in some long-term doubt after Paul Allen passed away" but that any change is likely years away.

Carroll is the best coach in franchise history. He's the leader in both wins (101) and winning percentage (.630) and guided the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl title in 2013. Seattle has also made the playoffs in eight of Carroll's first 10 seasons.

Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop and Robert Klemko provided a peek behind the curtain in September 2018 as the Seahawks slowly took apart what was once one of the NFL's best defenses. One thread throughout the report was an internal frustration as to how Carroll approached quarterback Russell Wilson, perceived by some as insulating the star quarterback from criticism:

"Those decisions, on top of Carroll's refusal to publicly check Wilson in any setting, public or private, chipped away at the coach's once-renowned ability to motivate a wide range of personalities, according to the players who spoke to SI. Carroll's mantras, which consistently buttressed his motivational talks—'Always Compete,' 'Practice is Everything'—began to ring hollow."

Some coaches can have a shelf life with one franchise. At the time of the SI piece, it looked like Carroll was getting diminishing returns from the tactics that once brought him great success. Seattle had gone 9-7 the previous season and missed the postseason.

Instead, the Seahawks handed him a new contract and won 10 games in 2018. Then they were inches away from claiming an NFC West title last season.

Carroll turned 69 earlier in September, so he won't be doing this forever. But nobody should be surprised to see Seattle is working toward a new multiyear agreement with him.