There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know what’s going on

Why does everything have to be a war?

Seahawks fans are particularly tetchy at the moment. It feels like we’re destined to live in perpetual disagreement over something. Let Russ Cook. Running Backs Don’t Matter. Carroll Out.

Some of the discourse has been pretty obnoxious. At times, it’s almost felt cultish.

Personally, I appreciate how and why some fans are content with no change. Pete Carroll and John Schneider brought the first Championship to the franchise. They are popular and likeable.

I also think plenty of strong arguments have been made in support of change. The Seahawks ended the 2020 season with many acknowledging that playoff progress was vital this season. Instead, the Seahawks didn’t even qualify for the post-season. They finished 7-10.

People cite the Russell Wilson injury as an excuse but fail to note that San Francisco, Arizona and Philadelphia also needed to field a backup. New Orleans started four different quarterbacks and still finished with a better record than Seattle.

The future of Wilson remains a big question mark. Again, we’re only 12 days removed from this article by Adam Schefter.

I think change is important and reasonable. If nothing else though, I think if the status quo remains the fanbase is owed a bit more of an explanation on how this team intends to return to contention.

Just going along, bringing every staff member back, not shifting anything in the front office, cracking on with perhaps a few minor tweaks doesn’t feel adequate.

And therefore, given the well publicised meetings this week reported by some members of the national media — it’s not unreasonable to expect some kind of communication from the team.

We don’t need to know any state secrets. Yet bringing the fans — all of the fans — on a journey in 2022 is still important.

Those pushing back against the need to do this might be content. But they aren’t the entire fan base. And it’s not a tiny minority, I’d suggest, who want some answers. Certainly none were provided by Carroll in his ‘everything’s just peachy’ press conference on Monday.

If nothing else — the mystery surrounding the team isn’t healthy. It wasn’t last year either, when the Seahawks refused to address the Wilson saga. It just left everything hanging, created anxiety in some cases and had the fans warring against each other on Twitter.

That’s happening again already. Where’s the benefit in that?

Would it really hurt the Seahawks to release a statement, if the status quo is remaining, saying that all parties look forward to working together to return the team to the playoffs next season?

Just let everyone get on with their lives.

I’m not sure what’s wrong with that.

Yet I see a tweet like this:

And it embodies the snarky, unnecessarily dismissive tone that just creates tension.

Why does it have to be this way?

The simple answer is — it doesn’t.

Communicating with your fans is par for the course. Putting minds at ease, getting everyone on board — that’s what everyone wants.

I’d rather know, than assume, it’s business as usual. Unless, of course it isn’t. And in that case, maybe certain people could just pipe down acting like that’s the case when in truth — none of us really know anything.

This week I was invited onto the Pedestrian Podcast with Stu and Adam to discuss the future of Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.

It’s a good conversation so be sure to check it out below…

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224 Comments

  1. cha

    I’ll ask it again. Nobody seems to be putting 2+2 together that Russell Wilson hasn’t spoken to the press yet.

    You think that is because this Allen-PC-JS meeting is of no consequence to the future of the Seahawks?

    • Kevin Mullen

      Russ trying to find an exit plan.

  2. cha

    Jake Heaps
    @jtheaps9
    ·
    3m
    That isn’t what I am saying Gregg. How did people find out that a meeting was taking place yesterday to begin with? Plenty of ways to release information. You of all people know that.

    Sit down.

    Be humble.

    • cha

      Dang. Jake deleted it.

      • Matt

        Greg Bell is an embarrassment. Covering football in a substantive manner quite literally might be the lowest thing on his list. I’ll tell you what though – nobody can get on their knees and ask, “how did you guys do so well with COVID?” better than that dude.

        Probably an innappropriate rant; I’m absolutely sick of the disinterest shown by local media. They continue to embarrass themselves.

        • 805Hawk

          I’m not a fan of Greg’s. He tends to take on a I’m-the-smartest-guy-in-the-room attitude all the time. His rants get very tiresome. I stopped following him on Twitter a long time ago and cringe when he’s on the radio.

        • cha

          He’s not a football reporter. He’s a lifestyle reporter.

          • 805Hawk

            Then I wish Vanity Fair would get him on their staff so we could get a sports reporter to fill his spot.

            • Palatypus

              Vanity Fair can actually do some hard hitting news.

        • HawkfaninMT

          I will say I really enjoyed the TNT Insider blog back when Sandro and Eric were running it… was informative with a solid community

          • cha

            The weekly chats were fantastic. Every time there was a great nugget of information dropped.

          • STTBM

            I loved that blog, even though the name calling got out of hand. I miss debating with a bunch of the folks there too. Rob has done a ridiculous job analyzing Seattle’s preferences on prospects, and on covering the draft, and I appreciate the lack of name calling here. But the TNT blog was pretty cool for a long time. Then TNT hired that arrogant asshat (name calling alert!) Who began ruining it, then left for a crappy DC paper, only to have Greg Bell kill it.

        • David Stacey

          Infuriating how that tool gets to do such a great job.

          *sorry be kind, be humble. (Insert hazmat pic)

        • Kevin Mullen

          The problem with the Seattle sports media is the fact that PC doesn’t like to be tested, and so when he does, he dictates who gets to interview him. It sucks that some are have to be handcuffed (tho some of the media there like to be handcuffed) but that’s reality there.

          I would love more Hugh Millen interviews with Pete Carroll just because he’s the only one that I understands the schemes/concepts PC runs and can question him on the “why”.

  3. L80

    I care, but my caring has slowly eroded the last few years since the failed re-set. And now, it seems like status quo is the plan but they won’t even say anything.

    To me, that’s a slap in the face to a person thats been with them since ’76 and spent thousands of dollars on games/merch and the emotions that go along with all of it.

    If this is their approach, I’m meh, ho-hum, whatever you want to call it but they are going to lose a lot of dedicated fans. And by fans, I mean the ones that follow every move, every day.

    • Rob Staton

      I’m seriously wondering if I can be arsed to spend the next four months writing about a mirror image of the 2021 off season.

      • DC

        Copy & paste!

      • TomLPDX

        Rise above it, Rob. Just listened to the Pedestrian Podcast and loved it. Keep doing that and your “Draft” “Blog” (which many of us love) and just keep following your passion. Seahawks will be up and down but as a long term fan we know that regimes come and go, just like players come and go every year. The Seahawks are still the Seahawks!!!

        Go Hawks!

      • Palatypus

        I’ve got an extra Senior Bowl ticket.

      • AlaskaHawk

        You used to take summers off. It was hard on us readers but better for your health.

    • BobbyK

      It’s pretty obvious most NFL teams don’t care about its fans. They say they do but they don’t. They’ll have their PR team put together some good photo shoots and fancy stories that build goodwill, but it’s just that – for show. They don’t give a damn about the masses and that’s pretty clear what Jody Allen is thinking, too. I’m not as big of a fan as I was because of the arrogance of some of these people.

  4. Denver Hawker

    Irsay’s letter almost makes me a Colts fan. It was quite simple to say, I’m sorry- this wasn’t good enough, moving ahead, will try to do better.

    The absence of this kind of speech to fans is what feels insulting. The silence tells me they don’t care about what we think as long as tickets are sold, jerseys are bought, and TVs turn on.

    • Big Mike

      I hate his old man for moving the Colts out of Baltimore in the middle of the night, but I kinda like Jim. He’s a huge collector of rock & roll memorabilia much like Paul Allen. And yeah, he wants excellence and will continue to do what’s necessary to make it happen it would seem.

      • TomLPDX

        I feel the same way. And the man loves his Colts! We could be so lucky to have an owner that actually “owns” their team!

      • Rowdy

        He has been criticized a lot for not bringing in pieces to push the team over top. Even when they have money to spend they usually sit on it. Preferring to bring vets on smaller deals or multiple smaller contract with less guaranteed money. Pretty much what the hawks have done the last 4 or 5 years

    • Kevin Mullen

      Classy move. But needless to say, they expected (as did the rest of the NFL) they’d be in the playoffs.

    • BruceN

      Keep in mind that speech came after losing to a hapless Jaguar team with the playoffs on the line. As bad as the Seahawks were, they didn’t do a choke job like that.

      • Denver Hawker

        The resulting outcome is the same- outright disappointment. Whether it’s a loss to the Jags or Bears at the end of this season, it’s a disappointment.

        I’m still baffled that anyone, fans or otherwise, would try to put lipstick on this pig and believe that this season result shouldn’t require major changes, much less an acknowledgment from leadership that this wasn’t good enough.

        Pete trying to spin positives, and nucleus, and all that BS is what you say when you’re rebuilding, not competing for a SB.

        • BruceN

          Humbly, I disagree this is the same. The Colts were a solid team with 7 pro bowlers who were printing their playoff tickets and lost to the worst team in the league in a shocker (which we destroyed but fans blew it off) with the playoffs on the line. We had a bad loss to CH with neither team having anything to play for and we made enough dumb mistakes to lose the game.

          “ I’m still baffled that anyone, fans or otherwise, would try to put lipstick on this pig and believe that this season result shouldn’t require major changes, much less an acknowledgment from leadership that this wasn’t good enough.”

          I don’t think anyone is putting a lipstick on this pig and saying we did fine. What we disagree with is Pete saying this was an anomaly and the team will get back on track and the fan base saying this is a dumpster fire (which I don’t agree with either, check Jags, Bears, LIONS, etc. or this year’s darling Bengals who hadn’t been to the playoffs for 21 years.) Those teams are dumpster fires (not the Bengals of course who lucked into their franchise QB after sucking for 20+ years.) I agree this team needs major changes to get to the next level. I just don’t agree with the blow up this dumpster fire view. What I have, living in NorCal, is seeing and hearing a different perspective. The Niners fans who absolutely hate the Hawks think the organization is a solid franchise they hate but respect and view PC and JS very highly. This is also commented by football minds on the radio and old players like Steve Young. Again, I am not advocating for status quo and would like to see changes at the top but I don’t agree with blow it up, trade Wilson, DK and this week I read Taylor, etc. either.

          • Denver Hawker

            There are narratives and there are outcomes. The Seahawks (and Colts for that matter) are either competing for a SB or rebuilding. I believed they were competing for a SB- if that is the case, this season is a disaster. We finished in the bottom 10 without a R1 pick to show for it. The Colts were better and their owner still took the time to address fans. That’s my point.

            Pete on the other hand stole a post-game press conference to talk about all the good things about this team- a team that finished last in the NFC West, that’s been trending down for a full 1.5 seasons after 5 years of impotency. This current roster and season are a muddy pig and Pete tried to doll it up.

            I’ve not said anything about dumpster fires or blowing things up or trading players. I said major change is needed. Whatever they’re doing clearly isn’t working and status quo should not be tolerated by those who want a SB. I suppose many fans are content with being mediocre and an occasional playoff appearance ticked them enough. We have a HoF QB in his prime watching from home this weekend. Unless you believe Matt Ryan is a HoFamer, no other team is in the same situation.

  5. pepoandart

    I will say this the radio silence from the Seahawks in concerning(and EXTREMELY annoying as a fan), but it does signal that at least the organization is looking at all options and the status quo is not acceptable. Moving on from Pete, JS or Russ is a franchise altering decision so taking a little time to make those calls isn’t unreasonable. If Jody Allen is considering moving on from any of those three she likely want to keeps things close to the vest until she makes up here mind. So I would preach patience and understanding to all those involved. Both fans and media. Many Seahawks fans are divided about what to do this offseason and as Rob said fans want to to know whats going on and there is nothing wrong with that. Just remember the best decisions are informed and well thought out, hopefully ownership is going through that process.

    • Sean

      I think this is most likely. And I really hope it is true. They are trying to make a decision re: Pete/John, and we’ll hear about it when they do.

  6. Ulsterman

    The majority of responses to this Jake Heaps tweet: https://twitter.com/jtheaps9/status/1482033794861256704 are depressing, no wonder Pete’s so smug, his complacency seems to be matched by much of the Seattle media and fanbase.

    • 805Hawk

      I thought the same thing. It’s called PR. Apparently most people on Twitter don’t think a company should employ a PR person to clear up discontent within your client base (which are the fans) or confusion in the media about the direction of your business.

  7. Big Mike

    Blog favorite from a number of years ago Joel Bitonio named first team All–Pro today.

    SIGH

    • Jordan

      Yep. Awesome, awesome player.

      Much love to Bobby for adding to his HOF resume with a 2nd team All-Pro; and to Diggs, Brooks, Dickson and Bellore for garnering votes as well.

  8. Roy Batty

    I want to move on from Pete as much as anyone, but you are right, Rob, this current level of discussion has been hitting new lows. Fans calling Pete senile and other derogative terms is low. Really low. I wish people would refrain from childish name calling and stick to the real argument.

    I would also like the Seattle sports media to stop unabashedly taking sides in this discussion. Matt Calkins recent piece on FA’s wanting to stay in Seattle is a prime example.

    How about instead of spewing platitudes toward a regime under fire and talking about “culture”, Calkins might want to create a different piece asking why no major FA’s have wanted to sign with this team in many, many years? Ask the easy questions every other major sports market asks its coaches. Ask why Jody Allen should trust this regime going forward, when plenty of top FA’s have not.

    • Peter

      Pete’s not senile. Nor in many ways has the game passed him by. He’s like a lot of people with no accountability. That’s the problem. Then often those people will revert to thinking their ideas are best. Never looking at ways to improve.

      Rob brings up Saban often. But Saban master recruiter he is has tons and tons of accountability. The alums at Alabama would handle maybe what, one off year? Two years without being in the playoffs, which before anyone talks nfl playoffs is the equivalent if the BFC championship game not getting bounced in the wild card round and I could nearly guarantee if Saban’s head didn’t roll some of coaches’ heads would.

      • Rob Staton

        This is exactly right.

        Personally I haven’t seen anyone call Pete senile. Not denying it’s out there, I just haven’t experienced it. And he isn’t senile.

        But there’s no accountability. Nobody to make sure things are on track. He doesn’t seem to have a boss.

        And that’s not a good thing.

        • Roy Batty

          Sorry, but I had to vent a bit.

          I’m just so tired of discussion these days being degraded to the lowest forms. It makes banter about my favorite team tedious, at times.

          Mix in the coverage by local media and it snowballs.

      • Palatypus

        At the Senior Bowl “Meet and Greet” there are two lines for autographs: 1)Alabama players 2) All other players. You can get through line two in fifteen minutes. Line one goes all the way out of the convention center and a half-mile down the road.

        • GerryG

          Well it is in Alabama

    • Rowdy

      When have major FA ever wanted to sign in seattle?

      • STTBM

        Only when they get paid–and sometimes not then (OBJ?!)…

  9. CWagner

    Seeing all these other teams fire their head coaches this week has had me both a bit jealous and nervous. If we do move on from PC (or vice versa), there’s quite a few teams to contend with in terms of finding a new coach.

    • Peter

      Tbf though some situations are better than others. I get it’s a great job, being a coach, but the dolphins and houston are running themselves into the ground.

      The Giant’s are all over the place plus that media is a nightmare. Denver could be a great place to coach but who knows with the sale of the team.

      I think the Raiders might be the best spot for the right person.

      Then Seattle. Amenities. A great QB. A baby soft media.

      • CHaquesFan

        I think the Raiders might stick with Bisaccia given their playoff run

        • Peter

          Probably.

          I guess that team seems really open for possibilities but strangely not a terrible place to coach.

  10. DC

    All of this quiet no news is just as off-putting as Carroll’s gaslighting and arrogance. I’m about to tune out completely if nothing is announced soon.

    • Rob Staton

      Arrogance is right. He has been extremely arrogant recently. Unpalatably so.

  11. Big Mike

    I have hopes for a late in the afternoon announcement of change today like happened with Mora on a Friday. I’m not giving up that hope until dinner this evening.

  12. hawkfanforetenity

    You brought up New Orleans using 4 QB’s. They have a good O-Line, Kamara and absolutely nothing at WR. How on earth do they beat TB twice and have a better record than the Seahawks? No wonder Russell would want to be coached by Payton instead of Carroll.

    • Peter

      To ask the question is to answer the question. PC has a,hell of a time cosching or fiding coaches to scheme any different gane plan if the team isn’t firing on alll cylinders they way he wants.

    • 12th chuck

      Kamera has missed multiple games

  13. Canaidan Hawk

    Sean Peyton had an 8-1 record without Brees at quarterback.
    Pete Carroll blames this lost season in part on the loss of Wilson.

    Reason #45875 why Rob’s suggestion of going after Peyton should be seriously considered.

    • Rowdy

      What’s Payton longest consecutive playoff streak?

      • Rob Staton

        Who cares?

      • Peter

        Well mike mcarthy’s was longer than Pete’s. With a ring. And Greenbay parted ways with him. Now he’s doing well in Dallas and Rodgers/green bay are playing better than ever….so there’s that.

        • Pugs1

          Payton is a great coach and if the Seahawks move on from Pete now or in the future I’d love to have him but Payton could also be used as an example to stay the course. The Saints are 5-7 in the playoffs since winning the SB in 2009. They have one championship game appearance(2018) and endured three straight 7-9 seasons with Drew Brees in his mid thirties. (14,15,16) I say all this to say that the Saints run after winning it all has not been all sunshine and lollipops.

  14. Scot04

    I would love to see PC & JS replaced; as a bonus, the reaction from Bell and others who keep saying everything is great.
    PC has all his lemmings touting his message of No changes needed.
    At this point I don’t care who’s in charge, I’d just like to get started on the offseason.
    Hoping for change, but not optimistic.

  15. Hawkdawg

    I’m unclear how Bell knows what Jody Allen thinks of this meeting?? Either he knows something he hasn’t shared, or this is flat-out lazy reporting.

    • MychestisBeastmode

      Quite ironic too that fans who are organically/collectively clamoring for any sort of updates on the topic of Seahawks meetings and future, for Bell to say in no uncertain terms that this meeting is NOT news.

      • Rob Staton

        I just don’t understand the point of quote-tweeting Jake’s tweet and saying what Gregg said.

        He’s not reporting anything either. He’s not provided anything on the meeting. He assumes nothing’s happening and it’s business as usual. And his choice of words is provocative for no real reason.

        It’s one of the worst tweets I’ve seen in a while.

        • cha

          Just so odd he can be snarky about it but falls to pieces over a guy correcting his grammar.

          Gregg Bell
          @gbellseattle
          ·
          Jan 7

          ****
          Been bailing out my flooded #Seattle house for the last 7 hours—wrote this, no joke, while standing in indoor water—and this chap comes at me with this?

          ****

          Point is: why can’t people be better? Why is criticism so easy, so quick?

          Maybe take even one second to empathize. Think “Oh, maybe that dude isn’t having the best day ever.” Or don’t empathize. Just keep mean thoughts to yourself.

          But that’s not how so many think.

          Be well.

          For the record, this was a week ago, Gregg.

          • Roy Batty

            Last winter, during the up and down temperatures in Spokane, we had a foot of snow. Then it melted during rainstorms. My basement flooded. It was a nightmare.

            My brother called me at 8:30 pm, while I was ankle-deep in 35 degree water, trying to replace my sump pump, which was submerged another 18 inches deep.

            When I described the situation, he said, “Do you have to pee?”

            That’s all he said.

            I laughed my ass off and promptly hung up on him.

            So, lighten up Bell. We all have problems.

            • TomLPDX

              Love it!

  16. 12th chuck

    not having any updates, shows how distant the owner, management and coaching staff are from the fan base. The lack of questions from local media shows the same thing as well. so, as Pete Carroll has said directly to the fan base before, ” Tough, get over it”

    • Rob Staton

      Yep

  17. Ulsterman

    A couple of meaningless wins at the end of a shit season when they were dreadful to watch is apparenty good enough for a lot of people. Also coming after years of awful roster building, Carroll being outcoached regularly and lazy, nepotistic coaching hires.

  18. 805Hawk

    I think what is sad, is I’m starting not to care. I haven’t lived in the PNW for 20+ years, but up until Covid, I made a trip to Seattle to see a game every year. I watched every draft and off season move and every press conference with interest. I’m now feeling worn out and I’m losing a sense of connectivity. It kinda feels like…what’s the point? I hate that that is happening. Maybe it’s age, but I am feeling like a hamster running in one of those wheels with this team.

    • Jordan

      It’s a different feeling, isn’t it?

      Tough to explain.

      But I felt a shift after the Hawks won their first Super Bowl – almost like Great! Now I can relax. And I stopped having emotional swings with the outcomes of their games ( probably also had to do with being in my early 20’s when they won that Super Bowl and no longer had the emotional reactions of a teenager). Now I just really enjoy watching good football games for the sake of it, regardless of who’s playing. I still really hope that the Seahawks do well, but once they got that one SB I’ve toned down quite a bit.

      My Lakers have won plenty. So it’s just the Canucks who may never deliver me any joy.

  19. KennyBadger

    G Bell is a D Bag.

    • STTBM

      I think that may be a bit harsh. He certainly behaved that way in this instance, and it’s not the first time. But Carrol has also behaved like a Dbag plenty: is he personally a Dbag? Maybe…

  20. V

    RB Zach Charbonnet will return for another season,
    https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/1482126982456352769?s=20

    • Denver Hawker

      I grade this decision a D minus

      • Peter

        Agreed. What’s the point for him? At best he’s bot likely to go higher than whatever his xurrent grade is. At worst. Well it can always get worse from injury to bad oline play.

        • YoTeach

          He wants to play for Pete next year at UCLA. 😉

  21. calum

    I tend to agree with most of what you say Rob, however what Greg said seemed very reasonable. He didn’t seem to be arguing a message/statement should or shouldn’t be made. He was simply stating that if management was going to keep things the same then its likely no statement would be made at all. I really want to see a statement made and something done, and it seems that would create some kind of headline. But if Jody Allen is thinking this is business as usual, it doesn’t seem likely a statement would be made about it.

    If anything, it seems like one of two outcomes will communicate to the fans whether or not something was done. 1.) A statement is made due to something actually changing or 2.) We get no statement and Russell Wilson’s camp continues to leak trade rumors. Russell’s camp would more than likely be the ones communicating a change was NOT made rather than ownership or the front office.

    • Rob Staton

      I don’t have an issue with you’re assessment of the situation. Although personally I don’t think there’s anything wrong at all with some kind of statement that makes it clear everyone is progressing forwards now, given all of the chatter.

      But I still think quote-tweeting Jake with that tweet was unnecessary for the reasons I mentioned.

  22. Rob Staton

    https://twitter.com/MikeSilver/status/1482131545989074944

    • Rob Staton

      Well there we go.

      I feel like the franchise is starting to take the piss. Might be time to finally reassess priorities.

      • bmseattle

        As you’ve pointed out, though… will Russ accept status quo?

        • Rob Staton

          Nope

      • swedenhawk

        that would be a huge loss, but I get where you’re coming from

    • Denver Hawker

      Love that he relentlessly responds to people that tweet at him or reply. Sometimes hilariously.

    • GoHawks5151

      Yeah but this was just the opening act though. If true we move to Russ response. Picking between Russ and Pete was what this off season was going to be.

      • bmseattle

        Yep.
        It feels like this is going to come down to, how strong is Russ in his convictions?
        does he have the will to force the issue, or will he back down?

        • Sneekes

          It’s all very quiet isn’t it, particularly from Russ.
          I can’t see Jody outright sacking Pete, so this period is either UCLA/Pete/Hawks getting their ducks in a row for a ‘heads held high’ departure (which would be well deserved), or nothing’s going to change, in which case I expect Russ’s team to blow the bloody doors off next week.

    • BruceN

      Would Pete giving up his control be considered status quo? May be that is the decision but they are not making a big announcement out of respect for Pete. I myself, at a minimum, in addition to letting JS make the personnel decisions, would like see major coaching changes if Pete ends up staying and hire stronger coordinators who will not just implement his system. For example, hire Fangio instead of KNJ.

      • Rob Staton

        Is that the status quo? Yes and no

        I wouldn’t trust Pete to stay out of it either

  23. rick earp

    well i just read that chip kelly at UCLA was in line for a extension btt no word from UCLA yet on this,maybe holding pattern till they see whats happing with seahawks and carrol

    • Rob Staton

      https://twitter.com/GritHawks/status/1482139951135444992

      • Roy Batty

        Well, good for UCLA. They had to be decisive with USC making their move. No time to dawdle when recruiting against Riley needs to be a 24/7 affair. A change in coaches with the search and negotiation process dragging on would have taken weeks away form that.

        • Roy Batty

          Also, that picture of Russ and the elephant is just…weird.

      • swedenhawk

        well, there was no guarantee that Pete would’ve gotten the job even if they’d have decided to move on. the thought sure was exciting though.

  24. Kevin Mullen

    Where would you rank John Schneider to the rest of the executives in the NFL? Just curious.

    • James Cr.

      I personally think it is really hard to give an accurate answer, especially if reports that he defers to Pete ahead of the scouting department at draft time are true. And I don’t know this, but to me all signs point towards the Jamal Adams deal being all Pete.

  25. Mr drucker in hooterville

    I may get my Sundays back next year…so there’s that.

    • Rob Staton

      A lot of people might when they witness the inevitable and predictable repeat of what we’ve just seen when the 2022 season starts

      • Peter

        I think I’m turning the corner on Russ being traded. Why not?

        “Everything is fine.”

        I don’t reaaly care if it’s a haul. I think I’m almost more facinated to see if it’s Russ dragging the team along or Pete “culture” carol that keeps this thing humming along.

        Forget media markets. You csn mske money anywhere nowadays. Media markets mattered when you were limited to local restaurant and car dealership promotions.

        He should just go to the most stacked team that will have him. Browns? Regardless of the mayfield’s our guy story. Steelers? Probably a normal Wilson year away from easily handling the north. Pair him up with crazy as a bleep house fox harbaugh in Las Vegas? The west would be waaaay competitive.

        Let trader john do his thing and in a good safety/lb draft go get some reaches.

    • jeff

      After years of being uncomfortable with Pete’s conservatism, I went full well-at-least-I-will-get-my-Sundays-back the moment BS was named OC.

      Joke was on me. I can’t quit this team.

    • Hughz

      This was the first year I didn’t make watching their games a priority. Loved watching when I did but if there was something else that needed to get done, I wasn’t about to push it aside for a hawks game. I’m hoping that changes next year. Not likely though.

    • Matt

      Yep…fortunately for me, that started to happen this season with this team. I have found myself becoming an adopted Bengals fan because they are at least fun to watch and don’t play scared. I’m sick of this tram boring and predictable. It’s like a straight to DVD movie with the most cliche hero and villain – “will the hero (Steven Seagal) stop the nuke in time?” Yep – I’ve seen this movie…a billion times.

  26. Ashish

    We all have our own theories because we don’t what’s going on behind the doors. Hope they take best decision for hawks.

  27. swedenhawk

    what are the chances that Pete and Russ are holed up somewhere hashing things out? the Quinn theory seems plausible… not my first choice, but fwiw I read/heard somewhere that he supposedly has a ‘killer’ staff already lined up.

    • Justaguy

      0%

  28. Uptown

    It appears that the inquiries of what changes will occur has already been answered. Russ gave his preference, as did PC regarding his position in the organization as being secure, along with JS. For him to state such and it not happening would be a huge embarrassment and totally out of character for PC.

    Fans and outside observers tend to not be satisfied with what they hear particularly when the outcome is not what they hoped for. I guess the true fan is willing to except the outcome and hope the momentum carries over to next season, or continue with a pessimistic attitude of the future of the franchise. Everyone has that choice.

    • Peter

      Guess i don’t get the true fan thing. I don’t considdr myself old but turns out I kind of am. I have been a fan since dave kreig, big john l. Williams, and largent. I watched on TV bosworth give up a monster outing by bo jackson.

      I sat at the kingdome eating hot dogs with my parents and their friends abd we’d talk about Cortez Kenbedy being the running back becase he was the only good pkayer on the team.

      So.

      If I’m bummed by staying the course and being non plussesd by a couple of wins in a losing season AFTER a 12 and 4 season and frankly not seeing momentum but rather the law of diminishing returns makes me “not a true fan,” ….well, I guess I am some sort of fair weather fan. I guess my fandom falls on the side of watching my team get better, by having a host of players I can root for, by kicking butt and taking names, and the pursuit to get to that point, like they did a few times over four decades of fandom.

    • Rob Staton

      Who are you to define what constitutes a ‘true fan’?

    • Roy Batty

      Not the best use of the phrase “true fan”, as it implies blind loyalty.

      “Fan” is an abbreviation of “fanatic”.

      Therefore, a “true fanatic” would never settle for anything less than a championship, year after year.

      A “true fanatic” would not look up at a division banner hanging in the rafters and think, yes, I am satisfied that 12-4 season ended after one horribly coached game, just like the season prior.

      True fanatics are blindly loyal to their team, not their coaches.

    • Matt

      I see your “true fan” and raise you a “incurious and insecure sycophant.”

      • Matt

        Of course what is hilarious about people complaining about fans is the total disregard of what that word stands for. There is nothing rational about a “fanatic,” hence using that term to describe hardcore followers of sports teams.

        “A true American would never question the President!”

  29. GerryG

    No news is status quo imo.

    This end of the season “run” (which consisted of beating Hou, Det, and a slumping AZ with a loss to Chicago) probably killed any hope for meaningful change. I do think Pete and the team deserve a lot of credit for not quitting, and the getting the offense to actually function. But it’s the off season moves for years that far outweigh that for me.

    I’m also not putting much stock in all these FAs saying they want to stay here, they will all take the best payday, that’s just talk.

  30. ElroyNumbers

    If we do trade Russell to Giants I would love if we used both picks to take o lineman.
    Lewis is a building block at right guard. Get some maulers at left guard and center and we have an identity. As rob has mentioned right now we have no identity.

  31. Spenny Dunks

    I added all of the PFF grades to the guys on the roster next year, and included free agents that are likely to re-sign. It’s obvious that the needs are in the trenches. The OL is such a mess with no obvious young building blocks and older guys that aren’t very effective. Additionally, its very obvious we need a dangerous pass rusher opposite Dunlap and the young guys to make the DL as a whole more effective.

    With so many OL positions to address, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to bring Brown back for a year, kicking the can down the road so to speak in order to see if there is anything there with Forsythe. Really hoping they bring in a LG and C, and move Lewis back to RG and hopefully solidify 3 positions at once.

    QB: Russell Wilson (73.9)
    RB: Rashad Penny (80.5) / Chris Carson (70.7) / Travis Homer (65.7)
    FB: Nick Bellore (67.7)
    WR: Tyler Lockett (81.0) / Dee Eskridge (58.3)
    WR: DK Metcalf (80.9) / Penny Hart (62.7)
    TE: Gerald Everett (63.5) / Will Dissly (63.8) / Colby Parkinson (60.5)
    LT: Duane Brown (72.0) / Stone Forsythe (68.1)
    LG: Damien Lewis (57.7)/ Phil Haynes (69.8)
    C: Ethan Pocic (68.0) /
    RG: Gabe Jackson (63.6) / Jamarco Jones (58.9)
    RT: Jake Curhan (54.1)

    In the mix: Deejay Dallas RB (62.6), Tyler Mabry TE (62.2), Freddie Swain WR (50.3), Kyle Fuller C (46.5)

    DE: Rasheem Green (50.2) / Alton Robinson (51.8)
    DT: Poona Ford (73.1)
    DT: Al Woods (75.4) / Bryan Mone (48.9)
    DE: Carlos Dunlap (72.0) / Darrell Taylor (57.6)
    LB: Cody Barton (59.1) / Ben Burr-Kiven (NA)
    LB: Jordyn Brooks (57.8)
    LB:
    CB: DJ Reed (78.6) / John Reid (66.8)
    CB: Sidney Jones (70.2) / Tre Brown (61.1)
    FS: Quandre Diggs (71.6) / Marquise Blair (53.4)
    SS: Jamal Adams (60.1) / Ryan Neal (59.6)

    In the mix: Michael Jackson CB (84.4), Josh Jones S (69.0 – nice), Myles Adams DT (64.5), Nigel Warrior CB (64.3), Jon Rhattigan LB (NA)

    Cuts: Bobby Wagner (69.7) / Kerry Hyder (57.4) / Ugo Amadi (43.7) / LJ Collier (47.9)

    • Peter

      I think if Pete really is staying, to me, there’s no world where they cut Bobby Wagner. He feels like Pete’s favorite player.

    • Sean

      It would be folly to go into next year with Penny and Carson as our top 2 RBs. With their injury histories, the risk of both being unavailable is just too high. We could keep one if paired with a decent starting caliber RB. Otherwise there is a big risk of multiple games starting Collins or Dallas, and that appears to be a big dropoff in ability.

  32. SpennyDunks

    Forgot to include Benson Mayowa (59.4)

  33. DriveByPoster

    I think that part of the problem may be with the way that the Trust is set up. It may be that Jody Allen is not empowered to make a decision on her own. Viewing from afar, this makes sense of the situation to me. Once she has had her review meetings with PC/JS etc., then it may be she has to report back. In which case it may be a little while before we hear anything.

    This would also explain why Pete Carroll seemingly has the run of the sweet shop.

  34. Big Mike

    I give up

    • Justaguy

      Just sit back and enjoy the ride bro. As fanatics of the Seahawks we had an epic run. Now we get to enjoy the struggle again

      • Group captain mandrake

        Embrace the suck.

  35. TheOtherJordan

    Well, it’s looking like they chose Pete. And if they did, this is about to spiral quickly. The only thing left to play out is the drama. Only hope is they can somehow convince Wilson to stay which isn’t going to happen IMO. I can’t wait for the Seattle media articles dumping on Russ or wondering where this came from and how they have no explanation?

    And we now get to become Bears fans. We can talk about that great team our franchise had once with a great defense and legendary coach. But instead of the monsters of the midway and Ditka, we’ll talk with our grandchildren about the LOB, Carroll, and Wilson. The golden age of Seahawks football is over. One playoff win in 5 years is apparently fine. If the franchise doesn’t care about winning there’s better things to do with my time.

  36. CD

    I’m surprised how many have given up on the idea of a change coming. I can see Jody telling Pete on Thursday that these changes are needed (give JS more decision power, fire KN) and Pete saying I need a day or two to think about staying. This would be why Pete and Russ haven’t said anything. There is no way someone doesn’t say something after that meeting.

    • New Guy

      I tend to agree with this assessment.

      Radio silence may not be a sign of acquiescence to the status quo but instead be a period of active reassessment on the part of those involved.

      .

      • Rob Staton

        Fair shout

    • TheOtherJordan

      The problem is a new DC won’t matter. It’s Pete’s team. He’ll run the defense and offense he wants as long as he’s the head coach. It isn’t in his DNA to do it differently, IMO. They can say “we’ve made changes” but it will be window dressing. As long as Pete is the coach, it’ll be what we’ve seen for the last 5 years. Stubborn belief that a system that worked in 2014 doesn’t need to be changed because you’re smarter than everyone else and they just don’t get it. The only way this changes is Pete is no longer the head coach.

      • CD

        That wasn’t my point, I was talking about a plausible reason why we haven’t heard anything – Pete asking for time to consider those changes mandated by ownership.

        • New Guy

          Yeah, if the status quo were being maintained Pete would publicly taking a victory lap by now.

          .

          • Rob Staton

            I do think if it was business as usual that message would’ve been passed on by now to some journalist

        • TheOtherJordan

          Is there really a scenario where Pete goes from complete control of the entire franchise to being told what he can and can’t do? And would an individual like Pete Carroll really have the ability after how many decades in football at the age of 70 to accept those limits? I don’t think Pete would need even 10 minutes to consider that but I could be wrong. Total control of personnel decisions is one thing especially if he thinks he can still work with John but there is no scenario where he’d be dictated to about coaching and X’s and O’s.

          And at what point does it matter? If you’re keeping a coach only to tell them how to run the team then why are you keeping them? If you don’t trust them to run the team you need to move on.

          IMO, if Pete stays any announced changes specifically coaching wise will be in name only to placate people and Pete will continue to do what he wants.

          • Bmseattle

            I agree with this.
            But while it might placate the local media and some of the fans, it certainly wont placate Russ.

    • Sean

      I think you are right. If it really went Pete’s way 100 percent, and is a done deal, wouldn’t that be leaked somehow… particularly because it seems like Pete seems to have his choice of local media to tell the story his way? I think somebody is trying to make a decision, wether that is Pete, as you suggest, or ownership or Schneider. Perhaps they’re negotiating a buyout or something. It is painful to wait, but I don’t think we can conclude all is status quo unless nothing changes for another week.

      • GaiusMarius

        You would think that SOMEONE would have gotten a pleased message from Carroll’s camp if that were the case.

  37. Vince Tilotta

    Rob, why does John Schneider seem to be getting a free pass in all of this?

    All I seem to be hearing from the media is either Russ or Pete Carroll must go. However the primary reason for the Seahawks backslide is abysmal roster building over the last five years, which falls squarely into JS’s purview. Even if Pete Carroll is making the final personnel decisions, LJ Callier isn’t a first round pick unless JS and his crew gave him a first round grade. The same goes for all the early- and mid-round misses over the last nine years since the early draft magic dried up in 2013.

    The best argument for keeping JS is that “the awful draft/roster decisions are actually PC’s fault”, which is weak at best, and misleading because PC is using JS’s draft grades to choose his players. Either way, that’s not a reason to keep a GM that hasn’t cobbled together a decent draft since 2015 (Frank Clark and Tyler Lockett).

    To assess JS’s drafts, I put together a crude grading system that ranks players based on round drafted and whether they became a “solid starter” over their Seahawks Career. Using that system, I also graded the Rams and 49ers drafts going back to 2015. Negative numbers mean you had a bad draft, and anything above ten is a very good draft. For reference, the Seahawks scored over 20 for three consecutive years leading up to the Super Bowl win. Although the rating system can be fine tuned, the trends are crystal clear. The cumulative scores for the Seahawks, 49ers, and Rams from 2015 through 2019 were -5, 24, and 47, respectively. The Seahawks have been hemorrhaging talent through bad drafting while our division rivals are getting better every year.

    It’s time for Pete to go, and there is absolutely no excuse for John Schneider to have kept his job this long.

    • Rob Staton

      No free pass from me

    • Scot04

      Both need to be held accountable

  38. cha

    One thing that occurred to me, that if the search firm was in fact engaged to find a head coach and/or a general manager, that keeps a layer of separation between the Seahawks and say the Saints and helps them find out if there in fact is any interest in moving on from Payton.

    The firm could approach the Saints about Payton, the Rams about McVay, the Packers about LaFleur, heck even the Patriots about Belichik. Those coaches’ agents as well to gauge interest about a change. They could easily just say they are doing their due diligence, since they’ve been engaged to make a recommendation for the best option for the Seahawks.

    • Gross MaToast

      I hope this is right.

  39. Gross MaToast

    Maybe they sent the cardboard cutouts to meet with Jody Allen. She’s fired them both, but they won’t leave.

    Ownership has always been the wildcard in this. We have absolutely no idea to whom Pete reports, or who, outside of ‘Tater,’ holds him responsible. Pete may answer only to Pete. It’s a sweet gig if you can get it.

    Allen’s last public action regarding the team was signing both to contract extensions.

    Selling the franchise to fund Paul Allen’s pet projects for the long term is heavily rumored to be Jody’s ultimate goal. The estate of Paul Allen will remain in probate for the next 2-4 years, it is estimated.

    The extensions signed by Pete and JS dovetail nicely with the timeframe one might expect a selling of the team.

    Until then, Pete will continue to wield more power within this franchise than any other individual in the NFL holds over theirs, with the possible exception of Bill B in NE.

    The fallout will likely be exactly what you expect.

    It’s a damn shame.

    • Justaguy

      It will be insufferable filled with rhetoric and honeydicking

  40. STTBM

    I haven’t felt this disgusted with the teams direction since Russkell/Mora, and before that when Behring dumped Knox for Flores.

    It’s to the point that if there aren’t wholesale changes, including a new DC and some new assistant offensive and defensive coaches, as well as removal of control over personnel/draft from Carrol, that I’m almost looking forward to watching Wilson go win Super Bowls for another team, one that will properlyvalue him, yet push him to improve. Seattle is not helping Russ get better, they are forcing him backward, and I’m really done with the Status Quo, I can’t take anymore of it after watching them for almost 40 years.

  41. Ashish

    Rob says “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know what’s going on”

    But no news and the suspense is killing me. I will just try not to think about it.

  42. Whit21

    It was reported that the meeting did happen on Friday and JS is going to make the personnel choices for the roster. However, I cannot find who reported it. Even though I had all the notifications yesterday.

    I guess this could be like the Schotty firing. If people are still hoping they move on from Pete. You have a meeting. Take away some of his decision making. See where the UCLA job is at. Maybe he wants to move on in the coming days.

    Probably not. But small change is better than no change at all. Not sure how this is going to look going forward. But at least we shouldn’t see any more Jamal Adams type trades going forward.

    Not sure if this helps Russ not try to force his way out. But if that report was true, and the Cap looking like it is. Maybe JS will sign real free agents and make bigger roster moves for the trenches than what PC did. Throw away 50 million on a myriad of average players.

    Hopefully we can spend some money like the Packers did to get back into contention. Invest in Oline and pass rushers. Running backs. Then fill in the rest of the roster as needed.

    • Whit21

      I missed the part where UCLA extended Chip Kelly.

      But still, I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens Monday or more news on Tuesday.

  43. ReconUK

    As we are stuck in purgatory waiting for news, good or bad.

    If the decision is to run it back for another season. Could a potential Pete replacement come from within the team?

    KNJ we can hopefully ignore.

    Shane Waldron was apparently missed by McVay when he came to Seattle and was part of the Rams success in recent years. He never really established a consistent McVay style offence this season, but as a first year coordinator and with doubts over his freedom of action, there were hints at the end of the season of an improvement. Which he should get part of the credit for, as he should get an equal share of the criticism for the struggles this year. Russ’ injury also didn’t help. After Pete goes, there may be a desire to get in a young offensive minded coach to take over. Waldron is young and if he can live up to his potential, he might be a interesting choice. The McVay offence has been rightly praised for it’s productivity, making lesser quarterbacks like Goff effective and could hopefully allow Russ’ to rediscover his best form.

    Larry Izzo has overseen an improvement in Special Teams and that unit has been a rare bright spot this year. He has assistant and coordinator jobs in his past, with the Giants and the Texans. There are good examples of Special Teams coaches being able to transfer into head coaches with some success, Belichick got his start there, but John Harbaugh is probably the best example. Special Teams coaches interact with almost every player on the team and usually have a strong focus on player development, something valued in Seattle and especially after the Jamal Adams trade, developing players will be more necessary than ever.

    If we have at least one more year of Pete, John and Russ and IF next season Waldron can show offensive success and IF Izzo can keep Seattle’s Special Teams as our most effective unit. Would one or both be worthy of an interview for the top job?

    They are both in their early 40s, neither has a lot of experience, but the ownership/decision makers may be able to observe them and be comfortable with them. What do you think?

    • cha

      Waldron would be a really tough decision to make. You’d have to lean a lot on what you observe in the building and in meetings. Because this offense has PC’s fingerprints all over it. And it’s hampered by PC’s choices in free agency and team building.

      It’s hard to give Waldron all the credit for the creativity (say the presnap movement in the Indy game) and none of the blame for the poor choices (only 4 runs in the first half of the Pittsburgh game? And three of those runs went for 6 or more yards? In Geno Smith’s first game in years? Against a team that had allowed Denver and Green Bay to run well the previous two weeks? Seriously?). How do you distinguish the difference?

      It doesn’t help that Waldron has zero charisma in interviews. They’re abysmal. So he doesn’t show much to the public about being a leader of men.

      • SeaTown

        “It doesn’t help that Waldron has zero charisma in interviews. They’re abysmal. So he doesn’t show much to the public about being a leader of men.’

        Exactly! He’s unwatchable. Can’t imagine he’s radically different in the building. Part of me thinks that McVay loved Pete hiring this guy.

      • BruceN

        What I don’t understand is what happened in games one and seventeen where we saw plenty of motion offense with pace, misdirections, short passing game to move the chain, etc. but the old offense in between. I was very excited after the first game, and then deflated when it disappeared. Not sure who that’s on. Waldron, Wilson or Pete.

        • ReconUK

          Yes it would absolutely all be in this grey area. The Seahawks as a franchise are a black box, we can see what they input, we can see the output, but the different responsibilities and roles are murky. Who is directly responsible for the good or the bad is hard to know for certain, beyond the buck stopping with Pete. Waldron knew the challenge when he took the job, he will have known what Pete wants from an OC and the players available to him. As BruceN said it is confusing to see elements of the system working and then, either we are unable or unwilling to be consistent about sticking to the McVay system.

          The offense with the pre-snap motions and RPO’s I hoped, as Russ chose Waldron (from an admittedly short list of options), would be able to make everything a little easier. This was exciting and we did see a glimpse of this again against Arizona, but I would prefer to stick with it. Waldron has been brought in because of his experience with this system, run game coordinator Andy Dickerson is another well regarded coach. So I doubt if we will ever know, at least for a few years, which is responsible for the team not staying committed to the philosophy. It would seem at least on paper to suit everyone if this system or even an adapted version could be effectively implemented in Seattle.

          Whether this is just his first year in a new position outside of McVay’s shadow, calling plays for the first time and he will hopefully adapt and improve. But I do hope we see a bit more of what we were promised with his hiring.

          Some people are better in front of the cameras than others, he is in a new position and I don’t imagine he was in front of the media that often in LA. So hopefully he can improve in this aspect, but in Seattle especially you have Pete for the charisma, culture building and motivation. If Waldron had the chance to step up, he may not be charismatic, but there have been dull head coaches before. Whether they prove to be successful or not, it has not been an impediment to their hiring for the position.

          This is why I said, if Waldron has a successful season, where the system is working and we are getting consistency and results, would he be in the frame to replace Pete? Obviously a successful offence would probably convince Pete to stay on longer, but I am just wondering if we do have any coaching talent in this franchise, someone who would be familiar to the ownership and able to step up to the top job. There will be lots of good external candidates, but Seattle would probably face more competition for them and having someone with knowledge of the franchise and the personalities could make it a smoother transition when Pete is gone.

          I don’t give Waldron the full credit for the successes of the offence; I give him a share of the credit, as I give him a share of the blame for all the failings. But the success of the system in LA and the flashes of it here, are promising and Waldron getting a second season and hopefully Russ sticking around and being injury free could be very positive.

  44. ShowMeYourHawk

    If there were big shake-ups ahead, something, anything, would have seeped out by now. Doesn’t mean that Pete won’t be forced to re-staff some of his coaches. At this point, it may not be enough to change the fate of next year’s Hawks but this “in the weeds” ownership may feel that’s a sufficient rearranging of deck chairs on this Titanic. I more convince than ever that Vulcan is simply content with the potential of a .500 or better club to keep the resale value up. They’ve no idea how to run a team without Paul around to kick some asses.

  45. Paul

    I’ve never heard of an organization making an official announcement that nothing is changing. Actions–in this case, inaction–speaks louder than words. The only question now is Wilson’s future.

    • Rob Staton

      I’ve never heard of an organization making an official announcement that nothing is changing

      This misses the point.

    • Palatypus

      I’m pretty sure I’ve heard a politician do that.

    • Blitzy the Clown

      I wouldn’t expect an official announcement from the team. Rather, I would expect something from a reporter like Schefter, something in the form of a general affirmation. Something like ‘Carroll and Seahawks confident of 2022 after end-of-season meeting’ or some such.

      But I’ll say this, if nothing does change, and they never address the elephant in the room and treat it like a nonstory – as if the team didn’t just have its worst season in 10 years, as if Wilson didn’t float a trade request before having his worst season – it’ll confirm every negative suspicion I have about the dysfunction of the organization.

      • Rob Staton

        Bingo

        💯💯💯💯

      • Big Mike

        Spot on Blitzy

      • 805Hawk

        This 100%.

  46. Mr drucker in hooterville

    I lean towards the team that says leaks are more likely to happen if eveything was staying the same. Pete would be chirping.

    • Rob Staton

      If everything was staying the same, I’m almost certain that would’ve gotten out

      • Wilson502

        https://twitter.com/gbellseattle/status/1482211676686471169?s=20 seems Bell put out another sarcastic/condescending tweet last night. Ive got the feeling nothing is changing, but who knows at this point.

        • Rob Staton

          Why I unfollowed him a long time ago

          • Wilson502

            Agreed, that type of nonsense is why I cant stand most of the local media. Just complete arrogance.

          • MychestisBeastmode

            Dude!? I don’t enjoy bashing on people, especially those I don’t really know. But this condescension and taking on the role of arbiter for what is news or not is f*#&ing frustrating to see. Especially, since news outlets owned by a select group of richie’s have made paper journalism near impossible to relate to on many levels due to the sheer bias and slanting of their work (mostly pro corporate and anti-labor or at least silent on labor… Sorry not sports, I digress). This looks very poorly on him and while I was indifferent in my opinion towards him, I’m not anymore. His stance and arrogance just make another reason to continue not buying into the trash that come out of the rag that is the Seattle Times or News Tribune. He’s got a golden goose in terms of access and opportunity to reach audiences, yet he chooses to piss on the desires of those very people he works to “enlighten” through journalism. Be better, Gregg Bell.

            • Big Mike

              Damn good post

      • TJ

        Agreed. I think if the meeting ended with “keep on keeping on,” we would have heard about it by now. It almost feels like somebody was given an ultimatum and given time to make a decision. Of course, I really have no clue.

    • cha

      Gregg Bell tweeted yesterday spoke with someone inside with knowledge of the meeting and the source said “I’m not authorized to comment.”

      If nothing was changing why would the team put actively try to put a lid on that?

      • Big Mike

        God I hope you’re right

      • 805Hawk

        100% agree. I had kinda given up, but when someone says something like that it seems like they are trying to delay the announcement of something or at least trying not to commit to anything since everything could change in the near term.

  47. Happy Hawk

    8 head coach openings with none filled yet. No comments from Wilson or the Hawks. Playoffs starting today. A lot of significant behind the scenes maneuvers and discussion are happening. This may take a while before all the dominoes start falling. Hard to believe the Hawks with R Wilson are not in this year’s expanded playoffs. That alone should initiate change. Hawks have a cap advantage over the entire NFC West and a HOF QB – what we need is strong leadership, smart decisive moves and a sound draft or two. Not sure if the leadership as currently structured can accomplish what needs to be done.

    • Rob Staton

      Wilson is going to play a hand at some point

      The question is… when?

      • Robert Las Vegas

        Rob do you think maybe Russell is waiting to see who Denver and the Giants hire as a head coach before he decides to make his new list

    • McZ

      A cap advantage they cannot use, because top talent doesn’t want to play for PC.

  48. Easy Answers Hard Choices

    As I’ve mentioned before, it’s entirely possible that Jody Allen considers the Seahawks an abject nuisance, a mere distraction from managing the other 85% + of her brother’s estate – real companies that do things and make things, with actual competitors and therefore require active management to remain successful and profitable.

    If I had to guess, JA is probably a much more ruthless and disciplined businessperson than her brother ever was. Paul Allen was basically a brilliant geek who created one of the greatest products ever and became one of the world’s richest men in the process, He then created Vulcan and hired very bright people to manage and grow his wealth, and JA became his trusted Lieutenant in the process.

    But as a ruthless businessperson, she views the Seahawks very differently than her brother – who basically saved the team from moving as an act of civic generosity. And in the process, his ego became tied up in the team (perfectly normal and fine) which is why he demanded accountability from JS and Coach Wonka. JA, however, sees a business – that regardless of its level of success – will receive TV revenue of $320mm per year whether the team finishes 16-0 or 0-16. $320mm of (riskless revenue) works out to ~ 75% or so of the team’s total revenue (most of the other ~ 25% coming from ticket sales). From a business perspective, the team will be eminently success regardless of who is coach, GM, QB or even owner -regardless of what “changes” are made or not made. We as fans shouldn’t wait with bated breath for details from a post-season wrap up meeting. Remember – when JA (foolishly) re-upped Coach Wonka for another five years it was announced with a terse press release a couple of months after the fact.

    To Seahawk fans, our only hope is probably this: While Jody Allen is not a “football person”, like all very successful businessperson she probably has a very finely calibrated bullshit-o-meter. So, when she meets with Coach Wonka and he goes into his Elmer Gantry routine about how “close” this team is, her BS-o-meter will start spinning like a top. At which point (in her mind) she’ll be forced to make decision. Either get rid of Coach Wonka and placate Russell Wilson, or do nothing. She’ll be unwilling to fire Coach Wonka and pay him 40 large upfront in the process.

    If RW then forces a trade, she’d probably view this as a good thing as she can offload his salary and hire a gaggle of cheap young labor via the draft picks from the ensuing trade. If she has a Machiavellian streak she may hope that Coach Wonka then retires as he’s unwilling to start a complete rebuild at age 70. Cutting expenses will make the team an even more attractive opportunity to a new owner. Any new owner will probably be a “new money” type of person (very much different from “old money” Jerry Jones) who will likely view the Seahawk franchise through the same dispassionate lenses as JA does. As fans, perhaps our expectations for the Seahawks should be set accordingly.

    • Gross MaToast

      When cynics find each other, life makes sense.

      For those who believe that life is beautiful and good things can happen: Sean Payton comes in, RW is thrilled and has a career year. Super Bowls ensue.

      Cynic: RW goes to NO with Sean Payton, is thrilled, has a career year, Super Bowls ensue. In Seattle, the Seahawks were in it until the end on Aaron Rogers and DeShaun Watson, but settle for Teddy Bridgewater, then go 6-11. They do, however, win the final game of the season against a playoff-bound 49er team. Pete declares that this is the team they wanted to be all year and he’s pumped that they’ve finally turned the corner. 2023 could be the beginning of something great, he says, just like 2012. SDB goes supernova, then collapses into a black hole of despair.

      • Easy Answers Hard Choices

        Kind of like Groundhog Day from hell

  49. TomLPDX

    Good football coming our way…starting now! Don’t know who to root for today. The start-up Bengals or the Raiders playing for their coach. Should be (hopefully) a great game!

    • Peter

      Bengals looking like they might break the curse of bo jackson.

      • pdway

        They look so crisp on offense compared to us – plays dont take forever to get going. And they can pressure the QB.

        couple of the reasons they’re here and we’re not….

        • Bmseattle

          Well, when Tom Cable insists on a scheme that forces his TE pn an sand, trying to block a defensive end, your are going to give up pass pressure.

          That used to infuriate me when he was here…and i see he still does it.
          Its the offensive equivalent to dropping your pass rushers into pass coverage.

          • Bmseattle

            *on an island

          • Big Mike

            “Its the offensive equivalent to dropping your pass rushers into pass coverage.”

            Who’s dumb enough to do that?
            .
            .
            .
            .
            oh wait…………..🙄

            • TomLPDX

              HaHa! Perfect response!

              Great game and Cincy broke the curse!

              The Patriots are getting their asses kicked and I’m turning the game off. Bills are just too much for them to handle.

        • 805Hawk

          This Cinci passing game would absolutely carve up the Seahawks D. They run those underneath and seem routes to well.

          • pdway

            Chase has sure impressed today. Can do it all.

            • Peter

              Easy smartest draft move I’ve seen in year. Pair your first round qb with his wr in the next years first round.

    • Matt

      Rob…for all of our sanity – BengalsDraftBlog; I’m in. I can’t do status quo anymore.

      • CL

        I think we can safely say that Russ can’t stand this status quo either.

        Let’s see what happens.

      • Rob Staton

        As a lifelong Bengals fan, I’m down

        • Matt

          Lol…love it

          • Mike

            Joe burrow makes me want to be a bengals fan. So good, afc has so many good young qbs.

            • Matt

              Oh he’s awesome. That whole team is fun – reminds me of 2012 Seahawks. Just a lot of attitude, youth…and serious, serious studs.

    • Peter

      The comments about Pete microdosing next year 🤣

      • Denver Hawker

        Also: doing the same thing over and over- the Seahawk way

        • bmseattle

          Prediction if the above is true:

          1. Russ and his camp request a trade and leak stories about possible destinations.
          2. Pete and John ignore Russ and his camp and don’t talk to the media all off season.
          3. Pete and John come back next season and act as if everything is A-Ok… possibly even making light of the whole situation.

          So, basically an exact repeat of last year.

          Yay.

          • Matt

            I think RW forces the situation this year. If this ends up like this past season – I just can’t do it anymore.

            • bmseattle

              I don’t know.

              We talk a lot here about the arrogance and hubris of Pete and John.
              I think they feel they have control of this situation, and that Russ will try to exert his will, and ultimately will fail.

  50. Travis

    Can’t wait to see Russ in a giants or broncos jersey next year

  51. Zxvo3

    So Rob after reading Silver’s report, would you rather the Seahawks trade Russ to the Giants for two first round picks this year and more, or would you rather keep Wilson around and ignore his trade rumors?

    • Rob Staton

      I go with option C.

      Boiling my head in a vat of molten spew

      • Zxvo3

        That option doesn’t sound as bad as the other ones. LOL

      • Mr drucker in hooterville

        New blog to start for disengaged Seahawks fans: “ Molten Spew “

      • ElroyNumbers

        Take those two first round picks and say a 2nd next year.
        Use those two firsts to get a top flight center and guard to pair with Lewis.
        We now have a top flight interior o line and Brown has another year in him at LT.
        Use our 2nd and two 3rd rounders to build depth on d line

  52. Timothy Burch

    Now the balls in RW court.

  53. Tony

    I still see the real possibility of russ playing out contract under pete and walking as a FA. Then pete deciding to retire now that rw is out. Completely pulling the USC rug out from under us.

    • Rob Staton

      There’s absolutely no chance of this.

      Because the Seahawks would tag him.

      If he wants out it’s via trade.

      • Pran

        Pete turning evil and running away fans from Hawks is worth studying. Belchick killed dynasty. Pete killing Seahawks.

      • Tony

        Yeah, I forgot the tag. Still could get ugly where russ wants out, demands trade and hawks have no footing. I cant imagine 2 yrs of bad/losing football will still sit well with fans and ownership after next season. Right now many are betting its an off year. If pete can repeat this year next year and still fire no one and everyone returns, I will atleast respect his ego and con artist ways.

      • Ashish

        I remember when Pete was doing good USC folks warn about his evil nature. Unfortunate we don’t have in our ownership to make right decision.

  54. Big Mike

    Ok Russ, whatcha gonna do? Are your balls big enough to DEMAND a trade and literally REFUSE to play another down in Seattle or do you leak crap and then end up returning with your tail between your legs when Pete refuses to even acknowledge what you want?
    You are going to have to take a big hit to your carefully crafted image but if you don’t, it’ll be more of the same. Is that what you want?

  55. Gary

    I don’t want Russ gone. I have been wanting Pete gone for years. But if Pete and John and the rest of this organization have the gall to tell their fans that everything is rosy and it’s just that we’re not smart enough to see that we’re really close and that there’s no change required, then they deserve to have their hubris cost them their quarterback. I wish you well Russ, thank you for everything.

    • Rob Staton

      We’re all here to indulge Pete Carroll

      That’s what the Seahawks are now

  56. uptop

    Get Brian daboll on the first flight here

    • UkAlex6674

      i think he’s got some more important things to worry about right now.

      Plus, if he was interested, surely it would only be if Wilson stayed. I don’t think i would want Daboll without Wilson; he hardly pulled up trees in his previous OC stints.

  57. Palatypus

    New England at Buffalo is starting to look like a match between “Sweep the Leg” Johnny “Eagle Fang” Lawrence and Trevor “Crouching Tiger” Lawrence.

  58. Aaron

    Pete has lived long enough in his tenure as head coach of the Seahawks to become the villain. I will always be a fan of the Seahawks, but I am not a fan of these Seahawks.

  59. Seahawk_Dan

    Hey Rob,

    So Pete is keeping his job. Lets fast forward to 2022 regular season, with or without Russ, if the hawks still come out limp and unimaginative and start the season 0-5, 1-4, or 2-3, does Pete get fired then and there?

    Purely hypothetical, but I think after the last two years, if they don’t come in kicking the door down then it has to be immediate termination.

    • Rob Staton

      Who knows?

      This franchise probably gives him an extension

  60. Robertlasvegas

    Rob I was wondering what you thought if the New York Giants decided to make a splash this off season and signed Jim harbaugh as a head coach would Russell want to go there

    • Rob Staton

      I’m not sure but it doesn’t look like the Giants are showing interest in Harbaugh

  61. Romeo A57

    According to Pete the Seahawks are “real close” to going to a Super Bowl.
    He probably also thinks that a few other things are “real close”

    A manned spacecraft landing on Mars
    The US eliminating the federal debt
    World Peace
    North Korea changing to a democratic form of government

    • Rob Staton

      😂

    • Seahawk_Dan

      Real close would imply the team went 15-2, and were eliminated either in the Championship game or the losing end of a Super Bowl. 7-10 and an utter disaster if a season isn’t close.

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