Last week, The Athletic reported that Russell Wilson tried to get coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider fired in Seattle last year before he was traded to Denver. That report also mentioned that Wilson and Carroll did not embrace each other ahead of the Week 1 game between the Seahawks and Broncos.
At the NFL combine, Carroll said he has no ill will towards any player who he used to coach, including those who may not have felt they were maximized as players, and he always wants to keep communication open.
“My response to that is a similar response that’s always been with the guys that I’ve coached,” Carroll said, via ProFootballTalk. “I’m always going to hang with them, and I’m never going to leave them. I’m going to be there at the end, with all of the good stuff and all of the bad stuff. I’m going to still be there.”
Wilson was reportedly frustrated that Seattle didn’t do a good enough job of giving him opportunities to win both individual awards and a second Super Bowl. However, Wilson denied the report just moments after it was published.
Carroll has always been a players coach dating back to his time at USC, and he seems to be trying to keep that reputation throughout his time in Seattle. The veteran coach has made it a point to continue the relationships he grew with players even when they move on elsewhere.
On the other hand, Schneider had a more direct answer when he was asked about the report. Seattle’s general manager called the report “water under the bridge” but did not outwardly deny that it happened. He, like Carroll, left the door open for the relationship between Wilson and the team to remain intact for the future.
