Pete Carroll ousted as Seattle Seahawks coach

Pete Carroll is out as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

"It's been an honor and a thrill to be part of this program, and I've loved every minute of it, and you've watched me love it ... it's exciting that there is such a future here. You can see it," Carroll said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference, adding that the Seahawks have a lot of work ahead of them, but the team has "great places to go and great chances ... the future is bright."

"What's gonna happen now is the process will start for getting new leadership here," he said, noting his gratitude for the coaches who have supported him during his tenure as head coach.

Chair of the Seahawks, Jody Allen, confirmed the news of Carroll's departure in a statement Wednesday morning. Carroll will no longer be head coach of the team, but his role will "evolve" and he will remain in the organization in an advisory role, Allen said.

According to the statement, the Seahawks made the change "after thoughtful meetings and careful consideration for the best interest of the franchise," and that the team has "amicably agreed with Pete Carroll" about the decision.

Carroll held a press conference several hours after the announcement.

He said he met with the team's ownership over the past few days for post-season discussions and to plan how best to move forward. He said that they came to a "good clean spot" that made sense and that he "went along with their good intensions," which included his exit from the Seahawks as coach.

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Carroll said the change is not about him as head coach; rather it is about the whole organization.

"I realize that, I'm about as old as you can get in this business and they have to make decisions," Carroll said. "If there is something I can add for them in the future, we'll see."

He also said that the aspect he will miss most is, "The chance to be in one of those parades," referencing the 2014 post-Super Bowl parade through downtown Seattle. "The thrill of a lifetime was being in that parade."

Carroll also took time to thank his family for their support during his run as head coach.

Carroll coached the team to its first Super Bowl win in 2013, and reached the post-season in 10 out of the 13 years he has coached the Seahawks.

The Seahawks did not make it to the post-season this year, finishing the season with a record of nine wins and eight losses.

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