Tag: Carroll

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (right) congratulates quarterback Geno Smith (7) as he comes off the field in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

GM, coach laud Geno Smith’s self belief behind career year

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With a new three-year, $105 million contract in tow, Geno Smith was celebrated as the quarterback of the present for the Seattle Seahawks.

In a press conference at team headquarters Thursday, Smith was showered with appreciation from the Seahawks for his commitment to the franchise and belief in himself. Smith stepped into a starting role, which was never truly contested by Drew Lock, after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos last March.

The 32-year-old Smith delivered while making $3.5 million last season, guiding the Seahawks to a wildcard playoff spot, earning a Pro Bowl nod and now cashing in with a contract that could pay him 30 times his 2022 rate.

“There were a lot of years when Geno just had to sit there, waiting,” head coach Pete Carroll said, seated to Smith’s right and opposite general manager John Schneider at a press conference Thursday afternoon. “The story that has been unveiled about believing in yourself and confidence and trust and never giving up is just a vivid illustration of Geno. He always knew. He always knew he could do this. When it happened, the opportunity was there, and you handled it so flawlessly.”

Carroll said Smith approached the Seahawks about a team-friendly deal that ties more than $30 million to incentives and performance bonuses. Carroll said he wasn’t surprised to hear Smith say his concern was leaving the team room to build a championship team around him.

“I believe in team first,” Smith said Thursday.

Smith was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2022. He was a backup for seven seasons with four different teams and all but discounted as a serious option to be Seattle’s starter for even one season. He set franchise single-season records for passing yards (4,282), completions (399), completion percentage (69.8) and pass attempts (572), breaking three previous Wilson records.

“I know you know this, but what an inspiration you’ve been to men, women, young, old, all around the country,” Schneider said. “Lessons about faith, perseverance, work ethic. Being a good person, man. Watching you last year was awesome, and I know you’re super-excited about the future. So thank you to you.”

Last week, Schneider said at the NFL Scouting Combine the Seahawks are digging deep into the quarterbacks in the 2023 draft, and Carroll called the No. 5 pick — part of the return from the trade return from the Broncos for Wilson — a “rare opportunity.”

Schneider, raised in the Green Bay scouting department where quarterback insurance was a top priority, nodded and smiled when asked if Seattle could keep Smith and spend a high pick on a quarterback in the 2023 draft.

“They don’t grow on trees,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Jul 25, 2019; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, right, talks with general manager John Schneider during training camp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll: Seahawks ‘deeply involved’ with top QB prospects

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Don’t rule out the Seattle Seahawks making a move for a top quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Even if the team is able to re-sign free agent quarterback Geno Smith as planned, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he and general manager John Schneider are diving headlong into the 2023 QB draft class.

“We are totally connected to the quarterbacks that are coming out,” said Carroll. “This is a really huge opportunity for us. It’s a rare opportunity for us. We’ve been drafting in the low 20s for such a long time, you just don’t get the chance for these guys. So we’re deeply involved with all of them.”

The Seahawks are discussing a multi-year contract with Smith, Carroll said. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection handled last season “impeccably,” Carroll said Tuesday.

“We are working hard to keep it going,” he said.

Carroll said there a “number of guys in the past” who were put on the shelf for awhile only to get another chance.

“It’s a message for us,” Carroll said of Smith. “There’s other guys that can do the same thing. … Maybe we have given up on guys too soon. Some of that is themselves. They have to maintain the belief in themselves. Geno is a remarkable illustration of that. He never wavered. He expected to win the job. He expected to be successful. He expected to be where he is right now.”

Seattle has the fifth pick in the draft and five selections in the top 85. The No. 5 pick is Seattle’s highest draft choice since 2009 as return for trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos. Seattle also has the 37th pick from Denver.

Carroll said keeping Smith and drafting a quarterback is a “definite” possibility.

Field Level Media ranks three quarterbacks among the top seven prospects in the 2023 draft.

–Field Level Media

Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hugs Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll following a 17-16 Seattle victory at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson denies asking Seahawks to fire Pete Carroll, GM

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson denied a report that he asked Seattle Seahawks ownership to fire head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider before he was traded to Denver in March 2022.

Wilson said via Twitter on Friday morning that a report from The Athletic detailing an alleged plot of have Carroll and Schneider fired to bring in Sean Payton as head coach wasn’t accurate.

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

Wilson and Carroll embraced on the field after Seattle’s 17-16 win on Sept. 12, when the Seahawks edged the Broncos in Wilson’s return.

A lawyer for Wilson sent a letter to The Athletic, saying the report published Friday that the quarterback wanted Carroll and Schneider fired was “entirely fabricated.”

Wilson now plays for Payton, who was hired this month as head coach of the Broncos. He spent last season working for FOX as an NFL studio analyst after stepping away from coaching the New Orleans Saints.

Carroll, 71, has been with the Seahawks since 2010 and was part of the braintrust that drafted Wilson 75th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Schneider also was hired in 2010 and signed a contract extension in 2021.

Wilson, 34, spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks and guided the team to a Super Bowl XLVIII win (February 2014) over the Broncos, 43-8. He also threw a goal-line interception in Super Bowl XLIX (February 2015) with 20 seconds remaining in a painful Seattle defeat, 28-24, at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Denver went 5-12 in Wilson’s first season with the Broncos in 2022, which included the firing of first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett in December.

–Field Level Media

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (right) congratulates quarterback Geno Smith (7) as he comes off the field in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith wins Seahawks’ QB competition

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two days after saying he was in no hurry to decide on the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, Seattle coach Pete Carroll announced his decision on Friday, going with Geno Smith rather than Drew Lock.

The official word came after the Seahawks lost 27-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in their preseason finale.

However, the choice appeared to have been made in advance, as Smith received the starter’s treatment in the contest. He played only the first offensive series, leading the Seahawks to a field goal while completing half of his six passes for 43 yards.

Carroll noted that Lock saw his chances of winning the starting role diminish when he missed part of the preseason after testing positive for COVID-19.

“He’s going to start the opener, and he’s earned it, he’s won the job,” Carroll said of Smith. “With the timeframes, it got messed up for us for Drew, he just ran out of time in making his bid for it. And so yeah, I’m cool about that, so I just want to let you know, so everybody knows, so you don’t have to ask me about it anymore.

Lock completed 13 of 24 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown on Friday but was intercepted three times.

“Drew’s going to keep on battling because he can play, and he’s got all kinds of stuff in him, and I want him to be ready at a moment’s call,” Carroll said. “And he’s going to keep growing and pushing and developing as a fantastic player and I have no problem playing with him, too.

“So, we’re fortunate to have two guys who can go, and when he comes off the bench, if he gets his chance he’ll be ready to go and try to light it up.”

Smith said, “I’m thankful for the opportunity and grateful, but I have a lot of work ahead of me. That was my mindset from the start is getting ready to go out there and win games.”

Lock said, “As a competitor, you’re always disappointed and I was disappointed. You want to be out there, you want to play with those guys. … It’s my job to have (Smith’s) back and be the best teammate I can be.”

Smith, 31, is entering his third season with the Seahawks after four years with the New York Jets and one year apiece with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers. He posted a 1-2 record as a starter last year, putting his career record at 13-21 in starts.

In 45 NFL games overall, Smith has a 58.8 percent completion rate to go with 6,917 passing yards, 34 touchdowns with 37 interceptions.

Lock, 25, joined the Seahawks in the March deal that shipped quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. He owns an 8-13 mark as an NFL starter to go with a 59.3 percent completion rate, 4,740 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 24 games overall.

–Field Level Media

Jun 7, 2022; Renton, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and quarterback Drew Lock (2) return to the locker room following minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in no rush to select starting QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Geno Smith and Drew Lock are battling to become the Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback, and the competition could roll on for a while.

The team plans to use as much time as is needed to come up with the right decision, coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday.

Carroll wouldn’t even commit to a starter for the Seahawks’ exhibition-season finale on Friday against the host Dallas Cowboys. He did confirm that Smith remains on top of the depth chart at the moment, but that’s due in part to Lock missing last week’s preseason game after testing positive for COVID-19.

“I’m wide open for whatever happens,” Carroll said. “Geno has been the guy in the lead position the whole time and protected that thought throughout. He’s done a really nice job, he’s been very consistent. So we’ll just see what happens. And there’s two more weeks of practice too after this. I had a set thought on what we would do with the timeline, but that got disrupted (with Lock testing positive for COVID), so we’re going to use all the time we need.”

The Seahawks have a day longer than most teams to prepare for the regular season as they open on the first Monday of the campaign, Sept. 12, against the Denver Broncos and former Seattle QB Russell Wilson.

“I’m not closing the book on anybody competing for their spots,” Carroll said. “We have two enormous weeks coming up. The finish of this one, next week is a huge week for us, then we come back with another full week, and an extra day. So we’ve got a lot of time here to work it out on my schedule.

“Maybe you’re not feeling that schedule, but on my schedule, I’m OK.”

Smith, 31, is entering his third season in Seattle after four years with the New York Jets and single seasons with the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers. He went 1-2 as a starter last year, leaving his career record at 13-21 in starts.

In 45 NFL games overall, Smith has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 6,917 yards and 34 touchdowns with 37 interceptions.

Lock, 25, arrived in the March trade that sent Wilson to Denver. He is 8-13 as an NFL starter with a 59.3 percent completion rate, 4,740 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in 24 games overall.

“I could go ahead and just call it, but I want to let the guys battle and let them show where they are and let us get as much information as possible,” Carroll said. “Geno’s done a really good job of being in that position. His voice is solid. He’s on point all the time. He’s been very consistent with his work all of that, and Drew has been really sharp.

“I know it’s not supposed to be a good situation when you have two quarterbacks. It means you don’t have one, is the old saying. I don’t know that. We might have two ones. We’ll see what happens.”

–Field Level Media

Jun 7, 2022; Renton, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) receives a shotgun snap in front of quarterback Drew Lock (2) during minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Lock returns, Seahawks not rushing QB call

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks see Russell Wilson in Week 1, but the franchise has not yet decided on the starter who will replace the new quarterback of the Denver Broncos.

Since trading Wilson to Denver for Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and draft picks, the Seahawks have tested veteran Geno Smith and Lock in an ongoing competition to take the reins of the Seattle offense. The Broncos and Seahawks open in Seattle on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 12.

“I’m going to take the time it takes to figure it out and make sure we have all the information that we need,” Carroll said. “I can’t wait to see what happens in this game. Geno’s done a good job and Geno needs a little more help from some guys — they got to be able to catch the football a little better — but he’s handled it well. You go back, Drew has had three drives and had two touchdown drives, so he’s put some stuff on the resume out there.

“So we’ll see what happens this week. And we do have really good weeks of practice coming up. This week is a great one, next week is a great one and the one after is a great one so we’ll use all of that if we need it.”

As of now, there is no clear winner of the duel, which was essentially paused while Lock battled COVID-19 for a week.

“He did OK today. He seemed to bounce back,” Carroll said of Lock returning to practice Sunday. “He’s six, seven days into it now, so he’s in good shape as far as getting back. But you never know until you get out there and start running around. He hung in there, tough, so that’s good.”

Carroll said he might share later in the week his plans for Friday’s preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith had the opportunity to distance himself from Lock last week but suffered a bone bruise in his knee and exited a lopsided loss to the Chicago Bears.

Carroll said Smith is fine physically and both quarterbacks are available this week.

Wilson was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and played in two Super Bowls with the Seahawks before he was traded to Denver on March 8.

–Field Level Media

Jan 9, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Hot Seats: Carolina’s Matt Rhule favored to be next coach fired

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NFL training camps are still a month away from opening but at least one sportsbook is already providing odds on the first coach likely to be fired this season.

That distinction belongs to Carolina’s Matt Rhule, who is being offered at +300 by SportsBetting.ag to be the next head coach to be fired or resign. The sportsbook is offering odds on all 32 NFL coaches, all the way down to reigning Super Bowl champion coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams at +10000.

Matt Rhule On Thinnest Ice?
Because of Rhule’s success in college football, the Carolina Panthers hired him to reinvent the team. He had already transformed Temple and Baylor into winning programs, so the expectation was that he could do the same with the Panthers.

However, Rhule’s first two seasons with the Panthers have not been as successful with an overall record of 10-23, including only five wins in each season.

Super Bowl or Bust in Dallas?
The next shortest odds belong to the Dallas Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy at +500.

The expectation when the Cowboys hired McCarthy was that he would be able to light a fire under a team considered to be under performing under previous coach Jason Garrett. McCarthy was viewed as the missing piece that would turn the team into a Super Bowl champion.

In his first year in 2020, McCarthy got a bit of a pass because quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury. However, last season ended in major disappointment.

The Cowboys had a great regular season, finishing with a 12-5 record. However, they were eliminated by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the playoffs. Team owner Jerry Jones was not afraid to admit that he was frustrated by the Cowboys’ early exit, but decided to keep McCarthy around.

Jones is likely to give McCarthy another season. If the Cowboys do not reach the postseason, though, he could be fired.

Pete Carroll’s Last Stand in Seattle?
The Seattle Seahawks decided to part with quarterback Russell Wilson rather than coach Carroll after failing to make the playoffs last season. Carroll has led the Seahawks for 12 seasons, including a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII.

That was a long time ago, and Seattle is coming off a 7-10 campaign. Although team president and general manager John Schneider promised Carroll would stay in place until his contract expires in 2025, an early exit is still possible. SportsBetting.ag is offering him at +600 as the next NFL head coach to vacate his position, involuntarily or voluntarily.

Under Pressure in D.C. & Indy
Ron Rivera led the Washington Commanders, formerly the Washington Football Team, to the playoffs during his first season as head coach in 2020. This was despite a record of 7-9 in the regular season. Although the team was expected to improve further in 2021, Washington stumbled to a 7-10 season.

Rivera admits that he’s “tired” of being an easy target. On the field and off, the Commanders are dealing with significant controversy. Legal disputes, allegations of sexual misconduct across the ranks and an unsynchronized line have weighed heavily on the franchise.

Rivera is being offered at +800 by SportsBetting.ag to be the next NFL coach fired – slightly longer odds than the Indianapolis Colts’ Frank Reich at +700.

Colts owner Jim Irsay has said that Reich’s job is safe for now, but that could change if the latest acquisition of a veteran quarterback in longtime Atlanta Falcon Matt Ryan doesn’t help Indianapolis advance past the first round of the playoffs.

Next NFL Coach Fired/Resign (SportsBetting.ag)
Matt Rhule (3-1)
Mike McCarthy (5-1)
Pete Carroll (6-1)
Frank Reich (7-1)
Ron Rivera (8-1)
Dan Campbell (10-1)
Kevin Stefanski (10-1)
Kliff Kingsbury (12-1)
Mike Vrabel (12-1)
Arthur Smith (14-1)
Robert Saleh (14-1)
John Harbaugh (16-1)
Mike Tomlin (16-1)
Nick Sirianni (25-1)
Kyle Shanahan (33-1)
Bill Belichick (50-1)
Lovie Smith (50-1)
Todd Bowles (50-1)
Brandon Staley (66-1)
Brian Daboll (66-1)
Dennis Allen (66-1)
Doug Pederson (66-1)
Kevin O’Connell (66-1)
Matt Eberflus (66-1)
Mike McDaniel (66-1)
Nathaniel Hackett 66-1)
Zac Taylor (66-1)
Matt Lafleur (80-1)
Andy Reid (100-1)
Josh McDaniels (100-1)
Sean McDermott 100-1)
Sean McVay (100-1)

–Erik Gibbs, Field Level Media

Aug 21, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (3) walks to the locker room following a 30-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks stand behind Drew Lock, not chasing QBs

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Head coach Pete Carroll wants the Seattle Seahawks to stand pat at quarterback, throwing his support behind newcomer Drew Lock.

Carroll said Lock would’ve been the top-rated quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, couching the opinion as part of the reason he’s comfortable not chasing other available quarterbacks.

“I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all. I don’t see that happening,” Carroll said in an interview with KJR-FM in Seattle. “But we’re certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we’re just going to be battling and competing our tails off. There’s always possibilities, so we keep open to that.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is the name that continues to come up, but Carroll would only say the Seahawks are always going to “keep looking” and competing.

Lock came to Seattle as part of the package the Denver Broncos traded to get Russell Wilson in March.

Lock had 787 passing yards, two scores and two interceptions in six games last season, serving primarily as the backup to Teddy Bridgewater in Denver in 2021. He has 24 career appearances and is 8-13 as a starter.

A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

Mayfield was displaced as the starter in Cleveland when the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson. The Carolina Panthers are another team commonly associated with Mayfield rumors.

But Mayfield himself said last month he didn’t know where he might end up before suggesting “maybe Seattle.”

Carroll said the competition he envisions is with Lock, Geno Smith and Jacob Eason.

“All three of our guys have great arms,” Carroll said. “They can rip the ball around the field. They are really talented, arm-talent wise. They are big, sharp and move the ball well. Right now, you can’t tell the difference from one thrower to the next because they can all just chuck it.”

–Field Level Media

Mar 2, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll: Seahawks not in market for QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks, seven weeks removed from the trade that sent quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, aren’t in the market for a veteran quarterback.

That was the message Thursday from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll while speaking to Seattle’s Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM.

“I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all,” Carroll told the radio station, according to ESPN. “I don’t see that happening. But we’re certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we’re just going to be battling and competing our tails off. There’s always possibilities, so we keep open to that.”

Carroll had been asked specifically about Baker Mayfield, who lost his starting quarterback job in Cleveland when the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in mid-March.

The Seahawks’ current quarterback depth chart is topped by Drew Lock, who arrived in the Wilson deal, and Geno Smith.

Lock, 25, produced an 8-13 record as a starter while appearing in 24 games for Denver from 2019-21.

Smith, 31, went 1-2 as a starter for Seattle last year. He previously had a 12-18 mark as the New York Jets’ starter, and he lost his lone start for the New York Giants in 2017.

The Seahawks have two other quarterbacks on the roster: Jacob Eason, a 2020 fourth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts who has yet to start an NFL game, and Levi Lewis, just signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana.

Asked again by KJR about the Seahawks’ QB situation, Carroll said with a laugh, according to ESPN, “There’s no chance I’m going to tell you anything more than what I just told you, but I love you for trying. Honestly, we’re going to keep looking and seeing what’s available, but only to help our club and try to make us better. If the case presents itself, we’re going to be ready for it.”

Wilson, 33, was the Seahawks’ starter ever since he was drafted in 2012. He led the team to two Super Bowls, winning one, and made the Pro Bowl nine times.

–Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) bumps fists with head coach Pete Carroll during the fourth quarter two-minute warning against the Detroit Lions at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll, Seahawks not planning Russell Wilson trade

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Russell Wilson remains the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, and head coach Pete Carroll prefers to keep it that way.

Wilson, 33, said last offseason and repeated in January that he would be open to a trade. In January, he said he’s interested in “exploring options” after the Seahawks missed the playoffs.

Carroll said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine the Seahawks are not interested in moving their Pro Bowl passer.

But that doesn’t mean teams aren’t reaching out to Carroll.

“We’re talking about everybody,” Carroll said of teams touching base on player availability.

Even in a never-say-never league, Carroll claims he’ll leave such decisions to general manager John Schneider.

“It’s commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players,” Carroll said in response to a question about where Seattle stands on trade talks regarding Wilson. “That’s not changed. It’s been the same every year. It’s the same.

“We have no intention of making any move there. But the conversations, John has to field those, he always has. But nothing specific.”

Wilson, who turns 34 in November, has been the starter in Seattle since 2012 and is entering his 11th NFL season. He said Tuesday night in an appearance on “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” that he plans to play until age 45.

None of Wilson’s salary is guaranteed but he has two years left on his contract and will count $37 million against the salary cap in 2022.

Last February, after being sacked more than 40 times in a season for the eighth time, Wilson raised issue with the Seahawks’ unwillingness to address the offensive line. He said he would waive his no-trade clause for the Cowboys, Saints, Bears and Raiders. Three of those teams have new head coaches and two hired new general managers since Wilson’s comment.

Wilson missed time with a broken finger in 2021 and had 25 touchdown passes. The Seahawks did not have a winning record for the first time since Wilson’s run as their starter began.

–Field Level Media