The Russell Wilson-Pete Carroll era has been defined by consistent success. Until 2021 that is.
The Wilson-led Seahawks are about to have their first losing record with the quarterback at the helm, and only the third since Carroll took over in 2010.
There are rumors that Carroll, 70, will be out at the end of the season, and that Wilson, who reportedly was interested in moving elsewhere last offseason, will follow.
That’s not entirely accurate according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who said on KNBR Monday morning that the only way Carroll is out in Seattle is if he retires. And if he doesn’t retire, Wilson isn’t going anywhere either.
“You’re not going to fire Pete Carroll,” Rapoport told Kerry Crowley on KNBR. “If he retires that’s one thing, if he decides to go. He’s a Super Bowl winning coach. He’s one of the best coaches in the NFL. He’s one of the makers of one of the great longevity-filled playoff runs in a long time. They are under .500 now and that’s where they are going to stay this year. That is rare, that never happens, it’s never where they are. They’re just too good. And that just goes to show you how incredible they’ve been.”
The Seahawks struggles this season have largely been due to roster issues caused by years of mediocre drafting by the front office. General manager John Schneider is under contract through 2027, however, meaning that things might get worse before they get better. Unfortunately for Wilson, if Carroll sticks around, he might be stuck until his contract is up in 2024.
“Would Russell Wilson be willing to explore other places? I think he would, just based on my gut. My only feeling is last year, when he asked to talk to some other teams, Pete Carroll was just like, ‘yeah, I’m not going to do that, so no,’ and nothing happened. I wouldn’t be surprised if we are in the same situation this year honestly.”
Listen to the full interview below. You can listen to every KNBR interview on our podcast page at knbr.com/podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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