Protect the team. That has always been Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll's number 1 rule. This has always been the case, not just in his time with Seattle. Players are allowed to be themselves and show their personalities, but that is as long as they do not publicly say negative things about the team.
Carroll, of course, is notorious for hardly ever saying anything negative about players, even when players appear to deserve it. Earl Thomas flipping off the Seahawks sideline while being carted off the field in Week 4 in 2018? Carroll hardly spoke a word. But when the Seahawks start losing, things change, and well...they must change.
Seattle has lost four straight games, three against very good teams, and on his weekly show on Seattle Sports 710 AM, Carroll could not remember a time he had ever been coaching a team and they lost that many consecutively. And yet, for the Seahawks mathematically, the playoffs can still be had.
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll breaks his No. 1 rule
That is if the players execute what the coaches are giving them in terms of game-planning. Because the issue with the Seahawks, as Pete Carroll sees it, isn't the coaching; it's the players. This kind of talk is unheard of with Seattle football since 2010. Normally, 12s get the same Pete-talk generalities of needing to practice harder or the team has had talks about something or the issues will be fixed in coming games somehow. But four straight losses? That really peeves Pete, it seems.
But Carroll also might not be wrong. Maybe he sees the season is getting away from the team and there could be potential changes, especially coaching changes, needed in the 2024 offseason and Carroll is protecting his coaches. Or he might just be so fed up that the only way he sees an out for the mess Seattle is currently in is to call things as he sees them.
Pete Carroll on @SeattleSports doubles down saying again it’s the #Seahawks players not executing what they are being coached on defense. Mentions Jamal Adams by name on Samuel long TD, Julian Love on Kittle long TD by situation.
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 11, 2023
“I don’t mind mentioning these guys. They know.”
Carroll rarely ever named names. But he did after the Seahawks Week 15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He specifically mentioned Jamal Adams completely blowing an assignment that resulted in a 54-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Deebo Samuel. Carroll said the route is nothing new, the team prepared for that situation, and Adams did the opposite of what Seattle prepared for.
Carroll called out Julian Love and Riq Woolen indirectly by mentioning specific plays where they had the coverage. The coach did not need to say "Love" and "Woolen" as it was obvious who he was talking about. Will Carroll naming players in public fix the issues on the field, though?
That is the biggest question overall, right? Pete Carroll is taking a different approach this week and breaking his number 1 rule. Does this mean the team is falling apart or Carroll is just desperate and trying anything that might cause a change? Either way, it might be too late for some players, such as Jamal Adams, and the Seahawks might simply move on from him and Love in the coming offseason. And heck, maybe even Pete Carroll leaves as well.
Seattle is struggling right now, but you can turn that around this week with a guaranteed win at DraftKings! Just sign up, deposit $10 or more and then put $5 or more on ANY Seahawks vs. Eagles bet. You'll instantly win $150 in bonus bets, win or lose. Sign up with DraftKings today!