There’s a reason Seattle still feels like home to Pete Carroll, and a reason the city hasn’t stopped cheering his name. After stepping down as the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach in January 2024, Carroll, the winningest coach in franchise history, took on a fresh challenge with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. Backed by 181 career wins, a Super Bowl ring, and a culture-defining “Always Compete” mantra, Carroll has brought his eclectic style of play to a rebuilding Raiders squad. But even with a new team and a new chapter, some ties are too deep to break. No matter how far he goes, Carroll’s shadow stretches long over Seattle’s skies.

From the moment Pete Carroll stepped back onto Lumen Field, not as the Seahawks’ head coach but as a visitor leading the Raiders, emotions rippled through the stadium. A preseason game on paper, but for Seattle fans, it was a homecoming charged with meaning. In the hours before kickoff, the Seahawks’ official Instagram account posted a simple, yet deeply resonant message alongside a photo of Carroll embraced by current Seahawks stars Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, and former Seahawks star Shaquill Griffin.

And the Seahawks captioned it with a three-word tribute: “Football is family.” The image of three generations of cornerbacks—Woolen, Witherspoon, and Griffin—gathered around Carroll was truly a reminder of the legacy built over 14 years in Seattle, including 10 playoff runs and the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.

Though Carroll officially stepped down in January 2024 after a 9-8 season that fell short of the playoffs, his presence never truly left Seattle. “It’s the only game we got… It happens to be in Seattle,” Carroll said during the Raiders’ preseason trip, downplaying the nostalgia. He had transitioned into an advisory role with the Seahawks before accepting the Raiders’ head coaching job earlier this year. But the Seahawks’ tribute, timed just as he returned to the place where his legend was born, hit home.

Right from his first season in 2010, Pete Carroll set out to transform the Seattle Seahawks. And, over 14 years, he did just that. With a 137-89-1 regular season record and 10 playoff victories, Carroll rewrote the franchise’s identity. He led Seattle to 10 playoff appearances, five division titles, and back-to-back Super Bowl trips in 2013 and 2014.

And, most memorably, he delivered the city its only Lombardi Trophy with a dominant win in Super Bowl XLVIII. During the famed “Legion of Boom” era, his defense led the league in scoring defense for four straight seasons, turning Seattle into a defensive powerhouse. From five consecutive 10+ win seasons (2012–2016) to raising Pro Bowl talent year after year, Carroll built a solid culture. And with a franchise-record 137 wins and the most playoff wins in Seahawks history, he walked away as the winningest coach the team has ever had.

From Blitz, the mascot—2022’s NFL Mascot of the Year—to Geno Smith and Bobby Wagner, the outpouring of love across the football world was featured in the post. The legacy and culture he has built in Seattle are going to stick around. Even as he charts a new course in Las Vegas, the city that once welcomed him as a college coach and later as a Super Bowl champion will forever hold him close. And this brought the fans to tears.

Fans flood Pete Carroll’s homecoming post

On the Seattle Seahawks’ Instagram page, the comment section lit up with fans pouring their hearts out for the legendary coach. “Welcome back, Coach Pete. Always a HAWK,” one fan wrote, while another added, “Miss you in Seattle, Pete!!” For those in the stadium during his return, it was more than a preseason game—it was a tribute. “I’m at the game, the way the whole crowd cheered for Pete Carroll was beautiful, great person, great coach, all love coach. SEAHAWKS FOR LIFE,” shared one emotional supporter.

But it didn’t stop there. Some fans got openly tearful remembering Carroll’s unique energy on the sidelines. “Crying… I miss him so much! He brought this type of coaching energy that just made my day, even if we lost!” one user admitted, wishing him nothing but success with the Raiders, adding, “They’re lucky to have him.” Calls for an official tribute followed, with one fan demanding, “Put him in the Ring of Honor. Coach Pete is a Seahawk for LIFE!!”

Another simply summed it all up in two words: “LEGENDARY COACH!!” Whether it was the roaring cheers in Lumen Field or the flood of tributes online, it was clear—Seattle hasn’t just moved on. They have held a place in their hearts for Pete Carroll, and that is not changing anytime soon.