Moving north?
RENTON, Wash. — A sign with Jim Mora's name identifying his prime parking spot was still in front of Seattle Seahawks headquarters Friday night.
There's reason to believe that one with Pete Carroll's name on it could soon take its place.
The Seahawks fired Mora after just one season earlier in the day and speculation on Mora's replacement immediately centered on Carroll, the charismatic Southern California coach.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke flew to California before firing Mora to interview Carroll for the job. The newspaper said that Seattle — with team owner Paul Allen, the Microsoft Corp. tycoon for whom money is no limitation — is believed to be offering Carroll a five-year contract worth $7 million per season to be its president and coach.
That would be a raise of more than $2 million annually on what Carroll is believed to be earning at USC.
Carroll's agent, Gary Uberstine, did not immediately return phone and e-mail messages left by The Associated Press Friday night.
"Pete's name comes out at this time every year. In the past, he hasn't commented on such reports," USC spokesman Tim Tessalone said in an e-mail to The AP. "He was not expected in (Friday). ... At this point, we have nothing to report."
A Seahawks spokesman inside the team's headquarters refused to comment on Carroll. Carroll did not return a phone message left by The AP.
Leiweke did not respond to an e-mail asking about Carroll, who was 6-10 in 1994 with the New York Jets and then 27-21 while twice reaching the playoffs from '97-99 with the New England Patriots — before he restored a dynasty at USC.
The opportunity in Seattle is unique for Carroll. The Seahawks do not have a GM in place, so Carroll could conceivably have more authority over football matters, far more than he would have had filling any of the NFL coaching openings he's been mentioned in connection with in recent winters.
Seattle is also interested in talking to Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier but has yet to interview him for the job, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation who did not want to be named because the Seahawks have not disclosed candidates. Per league postseason rules, Seattle would have to interview Frazier before the end of the weekend, or wait until the Vikings are eliminated from the playoffs or after the NFC title game in two weeks.
The league's Rooney Rule requires teams to interview minority candidates, such as Frazier, for head coaching vacancies.
University of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian, who left his friend Carroll and the Trojans 12 months ago for his first head coaching job, chuckled when asked if he'd like to be a head coach in the same city as his mentor.
"That'd be kind of fun," Sarkisian said.
Leiweke fired Mora during a morning meeting at team headquarters, ending a four-week internal evaluation the CEO conducted of his floundering franchise.Hours later, the team confirmed the firing in a news release.Sunday, Mora finished his only season in Seattle 5-11, after taking over his hometown team at the end of Mike Holmgren's tenure. Wednesday, Mora had said he was charging ahead with assessing 2009 and preparing for next season, saying of his future: "I'm not too worried about it. I'm just going to go work until I'm told not to work."Mora had three years and almost $12 million remaining on his contract."We've made a tough decision today," Leiweke said. "It became apparent after conducting an extensive internal audit that a new direction was needed to provide an opportunity for the organization to be successful. Today's decision, while difficult, is part of the process in building a franchise with a new vision in 2010."Leiweke called Mora "truly a standup man who gave his full effort to our franchise.""Coach Mora will be missed," Seattle defensive end Darryl Tapp wrote on his Twitter page.Seattle is 9-23 since its last playoff appearance in January 2008, after four consecutive NFC West titles."This team, more importantly this community, means so much to me that it hurts not being able to see this through," Mora said in the team statement. "I am disappointed I did not get the chance to complete my contract. This is a tough business that sometimes demands immediate gratification."
