Seahawks Next Head Coach Odds: Who Will Replace Pete Carroll?

When the Seattle Seahawks parted ways with Pete Carroll, the Seattle head coaching vacancy instantly became the most attractive open job on the market. The Seahawks roster is well-stocked with promising and proven talent on both sides of the ball, and a new head coach could make a significant difference in getting better results out of a group that did not meet expectations in 2023.

Seattle was on a trajectory to success after a 2022 season in which the team played better than projected and notched an NFC Wild Card berth. But missing the postseason this year crystallized the decline of the defense in recent seasons, and the offense struggled with inconsistency.

General manager John Schneider might prefer a defensive-minded coach to work with a unit that includes promising secondary guys such as Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen, plus impact linebackers Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu.

On offense, a new coach with a background on that side of the ball would instantly be able to utilize established playmakers such as DK Metcalf and Kenneth Walker III, in addition to ascending WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

NOTE: These odds were created for entertainment purposes and are not available on sports betting apps.

Seahawks Head Coaching Odds For 2024

• Dan Quinn (+233)
• Jim Harbaugh (+400)
• Mike Vrabel (+900)
• Steve Wilks (+1150)
• Mike Macdonald (+1329)
• Ben Johnson (+1900)
• Eric Bieniemy (+1900)
• Brian Flores (+1900)
• Kalen DeBoer (+2400)
• Dave Canales (+3233)
• Chris Petersen (+3233)

Seattle Seahawks Next Head Coach Favorites

Dan Quinn (+233)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Could a reunion happen?

The current Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator stands out as the clear projected favorite, as he has previous strong ties to the Seahawks.

Hiring him would be a comfortable move for Schneider. Quinn was the assistant head coach for two seasons in Seattle and the defensive coordinator on the two Seahawks teams that went to the Super Bowl.

Quinn fits the bill if the emphasis is on bringing in a defensive-tailored head coach. The Dallas defense was a top-5 unit during the 2023 regular season and led the league in QB Pressure Rate, as noted by CBS Sports.

Quinn also guided the Falcons to a Super Bowl in his second season as head coach, and he might fare better overall than his 43-42 record in five seasons with Atlanta in a second chance to be a head coach.

Jim Harbaugh (+400)

Hiring the CFP-winning head coach would rankle some Seahawks fans who viewed his 49ers as a prime rival during Seattle’s glory years.

There is no denying his winning resume, though, including taking the Niners to three consecutive conference championship games and a Super Bowl from 2011 to 2013.

Harbaugh may be capable of propelling the Seattle roster to a deep playoff run with some tweaks.

While there might be much competition to land him, Harbaugh can have a quicker path to success in Seattle if he chooses the Seahawks over other interested teams.

Seattle Seahawks Next Head Coach Sleepers

Mike Vrabel (+900)

The Tennessee Titans recently let the former New England Patriots linebacker go, and the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year is another defensive type who can boost the unit back to prominence and extract good results from a roster with much potential.

As noted by The Athletic, Seattle’s Defensive EPA has progressively fallen off each season since 2013, beginning at first and third and eventually bottoming out at 29th in 2023.

Steve Wilks (+1150)

In recent years, his San Francisco 49ers defense has ranked near the top of NFC and NFL units. Wilks also did an impressive job leading a lackluster Panthers roster to a 6-6 finish as an interim head coach to finish the 2022 season.

Coaxing him to leave the NFC juggernaut might prove difficult, though.

Mike Macdonald (+1329)

As he might interview during the postseason, the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator will have many suitors and could give the Seahawks a fresh perspective.

Seattle Seahawks Next Head Coach Long Shots

Ben Johnson, the architect of the third-best offense in the league, also provides a young approach and can maximize the offense pieces already in place with the Seahawks.

Eric Bieniemy has long been awaiting his head coaching shot and is a proven offensive pilot. Brian Flores is another defensive type who showed some promise with two winning seasons as a head coach in Miami.

Kalen DeBoer will favor the Seahawks if he jumps to the pros after finishing as runner-up with Washington in the College Football Playoffs.

Washington media have also raised Chris Petersen’s name; he hasn’t been a head coach since his stint with the Huskies that ended in 2019.

Dave Canales was with the Seahawks for over a decade and played a significant role in Geno Smith’s 2022 comeback campaign, but he only has one season of coordinator experience as OC with the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I do not believe they’ll name Bill Belichick as their next head coach — nor will they elevate offensive coordinator Shane Waldron (though he might land a big gig elsewhere).

Seattle Seahawks Next Head Coach Prediction

Ultimately, I project the Seahawks to prefer the defensive leader in Quinn, as a candidate with previous head coaching experience may have an edge. The team, as currently constructed, might emerge as an NFC contender with some key changes around the existing top players.

Seattle is the clear team among those with vacancies that is best built to return to the playoffs immediately.