Carroll was expected to be introduced by the Seahawks as early as Monday, after the team interviewed Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier on Saturday morning.
According to the sources, Frazier met with the Seahawks in Minneapolis, satisfying the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview a minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operations hires.
Leiweke told Frazier before the interview Carroll did not have Seattle's job. Frazier had been unwilling to talk with the Seahawks about the vacancy if Carroll had been promised full control of the Seahawks. Multiple sources indicated to ESPN he had been.
Even so, on Saturday
Carroll personally called John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, the organization designed to ensure that teams abide by the Rooney Rule, to assure him that he had no deal with Seattle.
"He said, 'I wouldn't try to be disruptive to what you're trying to do, and I support what you're trying to do,' " Wooten said Saturday night. "He said, 'I feel comfortable at USC, and if the deal isn't what I want it to be, I'll just stay right here at Southern Cal. But I need to talk to Seattle to clear up any issues.' He said he never would get into any arrangement that would cause controversy or undermine the Fritz Pollard Alliance. As long as
I've known Pete Carroll over the years, he's been honest. I take him at his word."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, asked about the Seahawks coaching search on the field before the Jets-Bengals playoff game Saturday in Cincinnati, told ESPN's Rachel Nichols
he believed the Seahawks' interview with Frazier was in earnest.
Goodell said Seattle had fulfilled not only the letter but the spirit of the Rooney Rule, saying there was "no done deal" between Carroll and Seattle as of Saturday morning.
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Sources: USC Trojans' Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks reach agreement on coaching contract - ESPN
