Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll (left) and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh shake hands after the game at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ex-Seahawks coach Pete Carroll shares zinger upon renewing rivalry with Jim Harbaugh

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 10:00 AM ET

No matter the circumstances, it seems that Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh are destined to do this forever.

The two legendary head coaches first met in the collegiate ranks, with Carroll's USC trojans and Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal forming one of the Pac-10's premier rivalries in the late 2000s. Then they took their feud to the NFC West, as Carroll became head coach of the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 and Harbaugh became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers a year later. They not only reignited their rivalry, but took it to the next level as the two NFC West foes were at each other's throats constantly throughout the early 2010s.

Now, after a deacde apart, they're finally set to reignite the rivalry once again.

On Monday, Harbaugh will lead his Los Angeles Chargers into Sin City to take on Carroll's Las Vegas Raiders under the bright lights. Even though it's been over a decade since they last faced off, it's clear that there's no love lost between them, judging by Carroll's recent comments anyway.

"I remember Jim," Carroll told reporters Thursday. "I have no fond memories. I'm not gonna go there."

Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh share admiration despite bitter rivalry

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Harbaugh had a bit of a different perspective, though, asserting that he and Carroll could've been great friends if they coached together instead of against one another.

“He’s a great coach, one of the best," Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday. "A lot of respect. I always thought if I had ever played for him or on one of his teams—because he was coaching when I was playing—or was on his staff once I got into coaching, I bet we would have been really good friends. I learned a lot from him just watching him.

"But he’s just always been on the other side. As a player, he was a defensive coordinator or head coach somewhere. Then when I was coaching, we were trying to gouge each other’s eyes out in the competitive spirit of that. It’s competition at the highest level and that’s what he’s all about. Pretty enthusiastic, too, I’ve noticed. Nothing but respect for that. Same person, same coach every day."

Even though they've been "trying to gouge each other's eyes out," as Harbaugh put it, for nearly two decades now, they clearly have a good deal of respect for each other. After all, they wouldn't have competed so fiercely without that mutual respect.

"One thing we certainly see eye to eye on is about competing," Carroll said. "He's always been a great competitor and he's battled through so much in his playing days and his coaching days as well. I appreciate him saying, because I'd like to play with him too."

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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