The Seattle Seahawks have made several big moves over the past nine seasons in an attempt to get back to the top of the NFL after winning Super Bowl XLVIII and nearly repeating the next season. They have made blockbuster trades and big-money free agent signings. They changed coordinators and overhauled their defensive scheme and personnel. And they moved on from a franchise quarterback.
But on Wednesday, they made their biggest move yet by announcing that Pete Carroll is out as head coach after the most successful run in franchise history and a 14-year tenure. Here are five questions surrounding the surprising move and where the Seahawks go from here as they head into the offseason.
Why did this happen now? Was it completely unexpected?
In Carroll’s press conference following the announcement he said, “I competed pretty hard to be the coach … I went along with their intentions.” As early as yesterday he had said he planned to continue coaching the Seahawks, indicating that this move was made by owner Jody Allen. Allen’s statement gave only a vague reasoning, saying the move was in the best interest of the organization, but any observer could see that the Seahawks have settled into a rut of mediocrity.
Since winning the Super Bowl at the end of the 2013 season and nearly repeating as champions the following season, the Seahawks have made the playoffs six times but failed to advance past the divisional round. Carroll said on his radio show earlier this week that the Seahawks are closer to winning a Super Bowl now than they were a year ago, when they also finished with a 9-8 record. But there was no obvious indication of that vision. Seattle’s defense regressed and its offense underperformed. Over the past three seasons, the Seahawks are 25-27, including a wild-card loss that ended their lone playoff appearance in that stretch.
What does Carroll’s future look like now?
Allen said in her statement that Carroll will remain with the team in an adviser role. Even at 72 years old, Carroll has looked as energetic as ever, and he has shown no signs in recent seasons that his passion for coaching has waned.
Carroll did say that he is not worn out or tired, and that he wanted to continue coaching — which makes it fair to wonder whether he would have interest in coaching another team if the right opportunity arose. On the flip side, Carroll might not want to start over with a new team in a new city at this stage of his career.
Asked if he’d entertain another coaching job during his press conference, he said, “Today is about today.”
Carroll said he doesn’t know what his new role will entail but that him and the team were going to figure it out.
Who could be in the mix to be the next Seattle coach?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be among those on the Seahawks’ list of candidates. Quinn has been an obvious possibility in recent seasons while questions about Carroll’s coaching future have grown. He has a relationship with GM John Schneider, having had two stints on the Seahawks’ coaching staff, including 2009-10 (defensive line coach) and 2013-2014 (defensive coordinator). He was the coordinator during their two Super Bowl appearances, overseeing one of the most dominant units in NFL history.
The steady decline of Seattle’s defense since then is the biggest reason why the Seahawks are now searching for a new coach. They were 25th in yards allowed per play this season (5.5). Dallas’ defense ranked ninth there (5.0).
What’s the first priority for whoever takes over as coach?
Deciding on whether to keep offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt will be first up. Both of their job statuses have seemed uncertain given the way Seattle has underachieved on both sides of the ball this season.
The Seahawks’ priority on defense was to improve against the run after finishing 30th in 2022 (150.2 rushing yards allowed per game), but they regressed after a strong start, finishing one spot lower at 31st (138.4). Seattle’s offense, meanwhile, ranked 18th in scoring (20.2 PPG) and 21st in yards (322.9 per game). And it once again struggled on third down, a long-standing issue for this team.
New coaches often prefer to bring in their own coordinators. And the recent underwhelming track records for Hurtt and Waldron do not bode well for their chances of staying around.
What does this mean for Geno Smith‘s future?
The next big decision will be with Smith. The Seahawks quarterback was up and down in 2023, and he took a step back statistically in several areas from his Pro Bowl season in 2022. However, Smith also dealt with issues around him on offense and injuries. He still finished 13th in QBR (60).
Smith’s $12.7 million base salary for next season will be fully guaranteed if he is still on the roster on Feb. 16, making that a likely deadline for Schneider and Seattle’s next coach to decide on Smith’s future. Drew Lock, the No. 2 quarterback, is a free agent, and the team is drafting at No. 16 in April.
Brady Henderson
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