44 Facts About Carl Peterson

Carl Peterson began his coaching career at Sonoma State University and later became the assistant general manager for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Carl Peterson was hired as the president and general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1988, a position he held until 2008.

Carl Peterson started at the high school level, then moved on to professional football, working with the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Stars, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since leaving the Chiefs, Carl Peterson has worked in a number of football-related organizations, including USA Football, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and FanVision.

Carl Peterson was named a semifinalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Carl Daniel Peterson was born on May 26,1943, in the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Carl Peterson was the third of four sons born to Louise and Eric Peterson.

Carl Peterson's father worked heavy construction jobs throughout the Midwest, working on the home front of the Second World War.

When Carl Peterson was three years old, the family moved to Long Beach, California where Eric began a construction business with his brother-in-law.

Carl Peterson attended Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, participating in football and baseball for the Wilson Bruins with the help of football coach Skip Rowland.

Carl Peterson was part of the graduating class of 1961 at Wilson and went on to earn three degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles : a bachelor's degree in 1966, a master's degree in 1967, and a doctorate in 1970.

Carl Peterson's football playing career ended during practice at UCLA when he suffered three torn knee ligaments.

Carl Peterson's coaching career began soon afterwards at Wilson where he coached the junior varsity and assisted the varsity football teams.

Carl Peterson then moved on to Loyola High School in Los Angeles, where he coached the offensive line for head coach Mario DiMuro.

Carl Peterson was hired as the head baseball coach and an assistant under head football coach Lloyd Helgeson.

Carl Peterson succeeded Helgeson as head coach in 1970 when Sonoma State moved up to varsity status, competing at the NCAA College Division level.

In 1969, Carl Peterson applied for and was hired as an assistant football coach at UCLA under head coach Pepper Rodgers.

Carl Peterson was hired alongside head coach George Perles, the then-defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Carl Peterson possessed the USFL championship trophy from the league's folding until 2018 when he donated the trophy to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Carl Peterson was part of a group led by Philadelphia Flyers and Spectrum owner Ed Snider that sought to purchase the financially troubled Dallas Cowboys and Texas Stadium.

In November 1988, Carl Peterson was asked by Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt to study his football team and operations.

On December 18,1988, Hunt announced Carl Peterson would take over the team president duties from Jack Steadman and the general manager duties from Jim Schaaf.

Carl Peterson found players in all areas of the NFL Draft, including first round choices like Thomas, CB Dale Carter, S Jerome Woods and TE Tony Gonzalez.

Later, Carl Peterson signed Edwards as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles.

Carl Peterson worked for the Chiefs as a scout for two years and was then hired in 1993 as the team's secondary coach.

Over 20 years, eight players who wore a Chiefs uniform under Carl Peterson's direction were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Carl Peterson began having his radio show every week during the season, giving fans access to the decision maker, something they never had during the previous administration.

Carl Peterson reached out to Chiefs alumni who were no longer involved with the franchise.

Carl Peterson formed the Chiefs Ambassadors, a group of former players who became involved in team functions, talking and helping current players, and holding charitable events in the Kansas City community.

Carl Peterson became involved in several different avenues of the game.

In June 2009 at the request of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Carl Peterson became the chairman of USA Football.

Carl Peterson replaced the late AFL quarterback and US Congressman Jack Kemp, in the role after Kemp's death.

Carl Peterson previously served on the NFL Youth Football Fund Board of Directors, a 501 non-profit foundation formed by the NFL and the NFLPA in 1998.

Carl Peterson was asked by Commissioner Roger Goodell to serve on several committees within the NFL, including a group that provided background information and recommendations on possible hires for general manager and head coaching positions.

Carl Peterson was asked to serve as an adviser to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee that helped create a special class of inductees for the NFL's 100th anniversary.

New York real estate executive Stephen Ross asked Carl Peterson to serve as an advisor for his interests in the Miami Dolphins and a media company called FanVision.

Carl Peterson helped introduce Ross to NFL figures in hopes of getting them to sign on for the service.

Carl Peterson serves on the National Board for the Maxwell Football Club and serves as chairman of the board of trustees for the Pop Warner Little Scholars organization.

Carl Peterson is a member of the International World Presidents Organization and serves on the board of the Third and Long Foundation, founded by the late Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.

Carl Peterson was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Long Beach Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

In 2012, Carl Peterson won the Pete Rozelle Award presented by the Touchdown Club of New Orleans for his time as president, general manager and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs and chairman for USA Football.

In 2016, Carl Peterson received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, which pays homage to the contribution made to America by immigrants and their children.

Carl Peterson was presented with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame 2023 President's Award for his long-time support and efforts for the state's sporting scene.

Carl Peterson received the 2023 Sergeant Major Pete Haas Semper Fidelis Award from the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation for his contributions to professional football.