American football and Polynesian culture have been intertwined by cultural pride and competitive spirit. Today, over 60 NFL players and even more college football players represent their heritage, making their presence at all levels stronger than ever. But the future truly starts to take shape even early, as high schoolers.

To bring them forward, the Polynesian Bowl has been hosted every year since 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and features the nation’s top 100 junior and senior high schoolers. And next year is going to be more legendary as a new update makes former NFL head coach, Pete Carroll, the coach of one of the teams included.

The game is set for January 15, 2027, at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and will benefit Shriners Children’s. However, the Adidas Polynesian Bowl already announced Thursday that the head coach of Team Makai (ocean) will be Pete Carroll.

“It’s an incredible honor to be part of the Adidas Polynesian Bowl and to serve as a head coach,” said Pete Carroll, as reported via a press release on the Polynesian Bowl’s X account.

“The Polynesian community has given so much to football at every level. This event is about more than football—it’s about celebrating culture, family, and the tremendous talent of these young men.”

This is the first time that someone with a record as Carroll will be coaching at the premier, NCAA-level, high-school all-star game. Carroll will be the first coach here who has won both a national championship and a Super Bowl as a head coach. Previous HCs like Doug Pederson and Gary Kubiak have won the Super Bowl, but Carroll has achieved both. Pete’s resume shows why he was selected for this job.

The former NFL HC won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks and the National Championship with the USC Trojans in 2003 and 2004. He is only the third HC behind Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer to achieve this feat. The gig will also mark the former Raiders HC’s return to a college-level bowl game after 17 years, as the 2010 Rose Bowl was the last time he attended the game as an HC.

Before serving as the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach for 14 seasons, Pete Caroll served as the New York Jets head coach (1994) and the New England Patriots (1997 to 1999). Then, he moved to college football with USC and turned them into a top-ranked contender from 2001 to 2009. Under his guidance, USC won seven consecutive conference championships and an AP national championship.

After leading USC to a major turnaround, Caroll once again returned to the NFL and led the Seattle Seahawks to ten playoff appearances, five division titles, and two consecutive Super Bowls (including the franchise’s first Super Bowl win). Additionally, the team also led the league in scoring defense for four consecutive seasons under the former head coach.

He then moved to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he worked as a head coach for a year, before being fired after a dismal 3-14 season. And this time, he has found the new job within just four months. The news doesn’t end here.

Carroll will face his former opponent in Honolulu

The opposing team, Mauka (Mountain), will be coached by another legend in his own right, Mack Brown. What’s interesting is that Carroll and Brown have a past together.

As an NCAA coach, Carroll’s USC last faced Brown’s Texas nearly two decades ago in the 2006 BCS National Championship game. And Brown is no rookie on the big stage either.

In the collegiate football world, he led the University of Texas and North Carolina for many successful seasons. He brought a national championship home for the Longhorns in 2005. Meanwhile, he led the Tar Heels to multiple bowl appearances across two separate stints. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

“I’ve always believed in the power of the game to bring people together, and I look forward to sharing these athletes’ journey — an experience they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives,” Brown said.

Former Super Bowl winners Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa founded the all-star game in 2017, and by selecting popular faces as head coaches, they are trying to expand the game’s reach. Speaking about this year’s head coach lineup, Jesse Sapolu, Chairman of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, noted:

“Having Mack Brown and Pete Carroll lead the adidas Polynesian Bowl is truly special. They are legendary leaders who reflect the values of our game and our community, and we’re proud to have them help guide these young men.”

While Carroll seems to be back on track with the Polynesian Bowl, it was not the same a few months ago.

Pete Carroll is rebounding after his one-year Raiders stint

Following the 2024 season, the Raiders replaced Antonio Pierce with Carroll after a 4-13 season.  Everyone believed things were going to get better, especially after hiring a Super Bowl-winning head coach like Carroll. However, last season, he could only manage three wins.

Pete Caroll has been a head coach for over three decades now, at both NCAA and NFL stages, but last season’s 0.176 finish was the worst in his career. However, the low numbers can’t be associated solely with Carroll’s head coaching skills.

There were several reasons behind a poor showing. Firstly, Carroll was stubborn in playing Geno Smith as the quarterback, even though he led the league in interceptions. There were younger options, but the HC did not use them. He knew him from his time in Seattle and became too confident in his abilities.

Second, they hired Chip Kelly as the highest-paid offensive coordinator and drafted RB Ashton Jeanty in the first round. Both were believed to be winning moves. But the Raiders flunked, and their losing streak reached double figures. In Week 15, they suffered a humiliating blowout 31-0 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles.

As a result, the team dismissed Kelly and special teams coach Tom McMahon during the season. Even first-round pick Jeanty wasn’t that productive. In 266 attempts, he added 975 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged only 3.7 yards per attempt. Although they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18, it was not enough to keep Carroll for the second year.

Carroll, despite already being the oldest coach in the NFL last season, still wants to continue coaching at the professional level. However, until then, he has the new role to look forward to.