By TIM BOOTH (AP Sports Writer)
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Pete Carroll’s mantra was “always compete,” — it was the title of a e-book, in spite of everything.
And he did proper as much as the purpose the place the possession of the Seattle Seahawks determined it was time for a brand new voice to be in cost following 14 seasons.
After bringing the Seahawks two NFC championships and the workforce’s solely Super Bowl title, Carroll will now not be the pinnacle coach in Seattle following the longest stretch of success in franchise historical past.
The determination appears much less a firing and extra a separation, however one the 72-year-old Carroll was no less than considerably pressured to just accept following discussions with possession. Carroll will transfer into an undefined advisory position inside the group, based on Wednesday’s assertion from proprietor Jody Allen.
But it’s clear that Carroll wished to proceed within the position he had and see if he may produce another title workforce.
“I competed pretty hard to be the coach, just so you know,” Carroll mentioned throughout an emotional farewell information convention. “I simply wished to verify I stood up for all of our coaches and the gamers and the issues that we had achieved. Not simply so we could possibly be the coach nonetheless, however so we may proceed to have an opportunity to achieve success and preserve the group going. That’s what I used to be combating for.
“In that regard, that’s what I was representing in our discussions,” Carroll continued. “And we got to a good part, good, clean spot where it made sense, and I went along with their intentions.”
With employees from all through the power, assistant coaches and some present gamers filling the auditorium, Carroll spoke for greater than half-hour by way of a mixture of tears and laughter a few tenure that shall be tough for any coach to match sooner or later.
“I’m thrilled that we’ve had this run. I really am. This level of consistency that we’ve demonstrated is such that it makes you proud,” Carroll mentioned.
Carroll will step apart as probably the most profitable coach in franchise historical past, however with an unsatisfactory conclusion after a number of seasons of middling outcomes, together with a 9-8 file and no playoff berth in his ultimate season.
He’ll perpetually be lauded as the primary coach to deliver the Lombardi Trophy to Seattle with the Super Bowl 48 victory over Denver. Carroll completed with a 137-69-1 file within the common season with the Seahawks. He led Seattle to 5 NFC West titles and 10 playoff victories.
But Carroll and the group by no means totally recovered from what occurred within the Super Bowl 49 and Russell Wilson’s aim line interception within the ultimate seconds. The core that took Seattle to these title video games ultimately unraveled and whereas Carroll tried a number of completely different reboots, the Seahawks by no means once more discovered that degree of expertise and chemistry to expertise one other title and wash away the reminiscences of that painful loss.
Seattle additionally plateaued towards the top of Carroll’s time, ending with a dropping file in 2021 adopted by consecutive 9-8 seasons whereas falling in need of turning into extra of a contender within the NFC West.
The postseason was one other downside. Seattle has not superior previous the divisional spherical for the reason that 2014 playoffs and misplaced within the wild-card spherical in three of its previous 4 postseason appearances.
“We lost our edge, really, the edge to be great, which was really how we ran the football and how we played defense. It wasn’t as good as it needed to be,” Carroll mentioned.
The reality the information about Carroll and Alabama coach Nick Saban asserting his retirement occurred on the identical day wasn’t misplaced on the teaching neighborhood that every touched.
“Would not be where I am today without these two men as mentors,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian wrote on social media.
The future for Seattle shall be underneath the watch of a special coach and with common supervisor John Schneider solely answerable for personnel.
One of the distinctive facets of Seattle’s success was the wedding between Schneider and Carroll. It was Carroll that was employed first in January 2010 earlier than bringing aboard Schneider as his operating mate. It was Carroll that retained ultimate management over personnel selections.
Now, it’s flipped. Schneider shall be making the decision on the following coach and personnel.
“It’s why this happened,” Carroll mentioned. “You want to know? I want him to have this chance. It’s been 14 years he’s been sitting there waiting for his opportunity and he deserves it. And he’s great at what he does.”
Despite the lackluster ultimate chapter, Carroll’s tenure in Seattle shall be seen as probably the most profitable run for the reason that franchise arrived in 1976. He ushered in a player-friendly setting constructed round permitting personalities to point out inside the outlined construction of his system. Carroll preached competitors, however made it enjoyable alongside the best way.
The Seahawks thrived underneath Carroll with the personalities of Marshawn Lynch, Doug Baldwin and Richard Sherman, for instance. They plucked Wilson out of the third spherical and watched him assist the workforce win a Super Bowl in his second season. Known for his defensive thoughts, Carroll created a protection that was the most effective of its period for a number of seasons and was on the basis of these back-to-back groups which gained NFC titles.
Several gamers expressed their appreciation for Carroll on Wednesday, together with Wilson. Geno Smith, Bobby Wagner, Noah Fant and Tyler Lockett have been among the many handful of gamers to point out up in particular person.
“Coach Carroll is a stud. If I’m sitting up here being able to do that as long as he did … that be impressive,” Rams coach Sean McVay mentioned.
Seattle is the seventh NFL workforce in the mean time searching for a brand new coach, becoming a member of Tennessee, Atlanta and Washington who’ve fired coaches for the reason that common season ended. The Raiders, the Chargers and Panthers didn’t anticipate the season to finish earlier than firing coaches.
NFL groups can’t begin in-person interviews till after the divisional spherical after house owners voted in October to push these again every week to decelerate the hiring course of and attempt to enhance variety in hiring. They additionally can’t interview head teaching candidates employed by different NFL groups till Tuesday or Wednesday for any coach whose workforce is completed or workforce has a playoff bye. Teams can begin digital interviews.
Any inner candidates or somebody not at the moment employed by the NFL can interview in particular person.
Speculation will instantly flip to Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who served in the identical position for the Seahawks throughout their two NFC championship seasons. Quinn was 43-42 with two playoff appearances and one memorable Super Bowl collapse in his five-plus seasons as the pinnacle coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”