The Seattle Seahawks hit a brick wall, and a lot of that had to do with Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll's relationship — or lack thereof. The front office eventually had to make a choice, and they took the coach's side.
For years, people debated whether Pete Carroll was outdated in today's game. They claimed Wilson should be allowed to do his thing more often, yet he wasn't even allowed to call plays or make adjustments.
Notably, it seems like that frustration eventually led to Wilson trying to get his coach and GM John Schneider fired. Instead, the decision-makers wound up sending him away to the rocky mountains of Colorado.
NFL News: Russell Wilson Wanted Seahawks To Fire Pete Carroll
(Transcript via The Athletic)
"Wilson punctuated his growing frustration with Carroll and general manager John Schneider by making the most fateful power play in the history of the franchise.
Wilson and Carroll had clashed in recent years over the quarterback’s role in the offense and the overall direction of a team that had gradually declined after back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. Convinced that Carroll and Schneider were inhibiting his quest to win additional Super Bowls and individual awards, Wilson asked Seahawks ownership to fire both of them, according to league sources who spoke to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details. Wilson also had a preferred replacement in mind: Sean Payton, who had recently stepped down from the New Orleans Saints.
(...)
Within days of Wilson’s call to Seahawks ownership, top team officials met and decided to pursue a trade of the most successful quarterback in franchise history. On March 8, Seahawks leadership publicly backed Carroll and Schneider by sending Wilson to the Broncos for two first-round picks, two second-rounders, one fifth-rounder and three players."
This all but confirms the fact that a change needed to happen immediately. The two simply couldn't coexist anymore, and they've taken multiple public shots at the other ever since they parted ways.
At the end of the day, the Seahawks may have made the right choice, as they got plenty of draft capital in return for their aging QB. But Russ is still Russ, and we know better than to count him out after one bad season.
