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2/24/23

2 min read

Russell Wilson Denies Report He Wanted Pete Carroll, John Schneider Fired

QB Russell Wilson Pete Carroll

The Seattle  Seahawks' decision to trade Russell Wilson last offseason was a major shakeup for a franchise that had experienced unprecedented success under the Pro Bowl quarterback. However, it now appears as though a shakeup might have been unavoidable.

Wilson asked Seahawks ownership to fire coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider before being traded in 2022, The Athletic reported on Friday. The quarterback, who was traded to the Denver Broncos on March 8 of last year, denied the report.

"I love Pete and he was a father figure to me and John believed in me and drafted me as well," Wilson tweeted. "I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win. I'll always have respect for them and love for Seattle."

According to the report, Wilson believed the Seahawks' brain trust was preventing him from attaining the level of success — both individually and as a team — that he was sure he was capable of under the right circumstances.

>>READ: Matt Cassel's Way-Too-Early 2023 QB Rankings

Wilson even had a replacement in mind: newly hired Broncos coach Sean Payton.

After considering Wilson's request, the Seahawks chose to move forward with Schneider and Carroll, who have led the team to two Super Bowl appearances since taking control in 2010.

A little over a month after the official end of the 2021 NFL season, Seattle traded Wilson to the Broncos for a massive haul that included two first-round draft picks, two-second rounders, and a duo of active contributors — Shelby Harris and Noah Fant) — among other assets.

Many in the NFL community felt the Seahawks were ultimately vindicated in doing so. Seattle finished the 2022 season second in the NFC West at 9-8 and ended the year with a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Their relative success came in spite of uncertainty at the QB position heading into the season, typically a sure sign of struggles to come for an NFL club.

The Broncos, meanwhile, finished 5-12 in 2022 — last place in their division — despite sky-high expectations heading into the year with one of the highest-paid and most well-respected players in the league under center.

WATCH: 4 Wide Receivers Who Could Be Traded

 


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