Raiders new head coach Pete Carroll will step behind the table alongside new GM John Spytek today for their introductory press conference. But before they do that, I reached out to Kole Musgrove at Seahawks Wire to get some insight from someone who covered the 14-year Seattle fixture to learn a bit more about the man who is now taking the helm in Las Vegas.
Q: What is the back story on what happened with Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll and where does that relationship stand now?
Musgrove: Pete Carroll was Russell Wilson’s biggest advocate ever since the moment he drafted Wilson. One could even argue he favored Wilson too much, as it did lead to a rift with the LOB [Legion of Boom] as they felt Wilson was being treated with “kid gloves” in terms of criticism. Not being held up to the same standard, so to speak. However, Wilson wanted more and started seeking MVP votes. Hence the “Let Russ Cook” movement. But what folks who wanted Russ to “cook” and felt Carroll was holding him back didn’t realize is that Carroll has always been acutely aware of what Russ can… and cannot… do. At this point it does seem like fences have been mended, as Wilson did show up to Carroll’s home (alongside Richard Sherman!) to celebrate his former coach.
Q: Why did the Seahawks ultimately fire Carroll following the 2023 season?
Musgrove: Carroll being let go was not like most coaches who get fired. The bottom never fell out and the Seahawks never had a crash and burn season. But there came a point where things became stagnant. Back-to-back 9-8 seasons that were eerily identical to one another was no longer good enough. When Carroll wanted to bring in two new coordinators again, I get the sense Jody Allen made a decision to simply clean house entirely and shake the franchise up in a new direction.
Q: Did Carroll Evolve over his time as a head coach in Seattle? If so, in what areas? What areas did he remain steadfast in his philosophy?
Musgrove: Carroll’s inability to evolve sort of ties in with the last question. He was able to hit reset a few times but it was the same message and philosophy. Specifically, his desire to run the ball, limit turnovers and generate them. When the Seahawks stopped doing all three effectively, it was a sign the team needed to go in a new direction.
Q: What is Carroll most known for in terms of team building whether it be the draft, free agency, or otherwise?
Musgrove: Pete is known for the draft and his ability to find late round steals. His defensive system is perfect at finding the “diamonds in the rough” and molding them into Pro Bowlers. His system and his coaching style is elite at getting the most out of every player.
Q: What qualities does Carroll typically look for in his coordinators? Are there schemes they must run in order to coach for him?
Musgrove: Pete’s last few years he ran a 3-4 defense that he was never super comfortable with. I think whatever coordinator he hires is going to have to be strictly adherent to his system and be comfortable with him spending a lot of time dealing with hands on.