14 seasons, 147 wins, and a 43-8 Super Bowl victory: There is one man behind it all.
On Wednesday, January 10, Pete Carroll, the winningest coach in Seattle Seahawks history, was ousted as Head Coach. 12s across the state now prepare to usher in a new era without our beloved gum-chewing leader to motivate us every Sunday.
In early January, the Seattle Seahawks broke the news of the end of Pete Carroll’s coaching tenure to a mixture of surprise, nostalgia, and hope. Jody Allen, who owns the Seattle Seahawks, stated that the organization had “amicably agreed with Pete Carroll that his role will evolve from Head Coach to … an advisor.”
As a lifelong Seahawks fan who’s never known football without Pete Carroll, I have a lengthy list of praise for him. First, despite being a 72-year-old man, Carroll’s unparalleled energy and enthusiasm would beat mine any day. He ran up and down the field without getting tired, threw long spirals during practice, and cheered as loud as he could for his players. Let’s not forget the iconic video of Carroll taking off his shirt to greet a shirtless Metcalf for the first time. I think I speak for all Hawks fans when I say seeing him in action was a treat.
Speaking of his players, Carroll is well-known for cultivating strong relationships with his 52-man roster. Anyone who’s played under him has nothing but kind words to say about his leadership and guidance. Say what you want about Super Bowl XLIX and Carroll’s inability to run the ball, but compare the smiling face of Pete Carroll to the New England Patriots’ Bill Belichick’s perpetual frown and be grateful for Carroll’s patient coaching style.
And what I appreciate about him certainly seems to pay off, considering his impressive record as the coach. His “always compete” mentality meant elite defensive, offensive, and special teams units throughout his time with the Hawks. Remember the Legion of Boom, our explosive secondary in the early-mid 2010s? That was Carroll. Remember Marshawn Lynch, a.k.a Beast Mode, the running back whose plays caused seismic activity? Carroll helped Lynch evolve into the star running back that he became. Carroll was undoubtedly the best coach that the Seahawks have ever had.
Despite all of this, it was time for a change. We can’t keep reminiscing about the “good ole days” if the future of the team doesn’t look as great. As much as I appreciate the talent of Pete Carroll, these past few years have been a drag. I don’t think I could take another year of mediocrity: barely winning games, just missing the playoffs, and getting a middle-of-the-pack draft order. Our team became stagnant and couldn’t keep up with the evolving league. I’m glad we took the step towards a much-needed change and a better future.
On January 31, 2024, the Seahawks fans finally got what we were anxiously waiting for: a new coach. Mike MacDonald (who is not old and does not own a farm) was named the new head coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After working as the Ravens defensive coordinator last season, he is now the youngest head coach in the league at age 36.
In my opinion, this hire was perfect, and it earned A+ scores from sports analysts all over the web. MacDonald seems to have gotten right to work, bringing in versatile new talent to his coaching staff. He’s already filled all of the coordinator positions, as well as the assistant head coach position, with well-established professionals like Leslie Frazier (assistant head coach) and Aden Durde (defensive coordinator). Though he has a lot to work on — most notably the run game, defensive line, and the question mark at quarterback — fans are confident that Mike MacDonald will make it happen.
With MacDonald at the helm of my favorite sports team, I’m optimistic for Seahawks success in the near future. Here’s to another Super Bowl ring!
