Pete Carroll is the new coach of the New England Patriots, who moved swiftly to hire San Francisco's defensive coordinator after the controversial departure of Bill Parcells.
Carroll and the Patriots agreed to a five-year contract, team owner Robert Kraft said today.Carroll, head coach of the New York Jets in 1994, already had interviewed for two other head coaching jobs. However, St. Louis chose Dick Vermeil and Detroit went with Bobby Ross.
But Carroll, 45, was the No. 1 choice of the Patriots after they reportedly failed to convince George Seifert, who resigned as San Francisco's coach following last season, to change his mind and coach next season.