4 Seattle Seahawks who should feel guilty about Pete Carroll's departure

Clint Hurtt should feel guilty about Pete Carroll

Clint Hurtt has been with the Seattle Seahawks since 2017 and he worked his way up from being the defensive line coach to defensive coordinator. Hurtt became DC in 2022 after Pete Carroll finally fired Ken Norton, Jr. Norton had been the Seahawks DC for four seasons and the team was not good defensively in that time.

But Hurtt did not improve the defense. Any coordinator who has never been a coordinator before should be expected to greatly improve from year one to year two on the job. This is especially true since the Seahawks appear to have added more talent last offseason. Seattle drafted cornerback Devon Witherspoon (who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie), brought back linebacker Bobby Wagner, and traded for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.

Yet over the last 12 games of the season, Seattle's defense ranked dead last in yards allowed per rush and yards allowed rushing per game. Seattle was like the great example of an aging boxer who could see a punch coming but could do nothing to stop from being hit. The Seahawks knew the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17 and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 were going to rush the ball and yet Seattle could not stop it.

Carroll is at fault for elevating Hurtt to defensive coordinator, of course, but Hurtt should have the know-how and experience to make the defense good. He could not. Hopefully, whoever the next head coach for the Seahawks does not choose to retain Hurtt in any position.