The Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of the first losing season of Russell Wilson’s career and will miss the playoffs for only the second time since the 2012 season. There is no clear answer for how to fix the team’s issues, but former NFL receiver Brandon Marshall has called for a philosophy change.
The man behind the “I AM ATHLETE” empire made the comments during a sitdown with Michael Vick, Leger Douzable, and Chantel Tremitiere. He started by explaining that other coaches need to study Pete Carroll’s leadership style but then pointed out how “everyone knows their book” while referencing the philosophy on both sides of the ball.
“Pete Carroll’s old school,” Marshall said during the December 20 episode. “Play defense — they do the same thing — Cover 3. That Seattle 3. And then on offense, we’re going to run the ball. First down, second down, third down. That’s simple football.”
Marshall continued and explained that he always knew on third-and-short that the third receiver on the offense would line up against a linebacker like Bobby Wagner or KJ Wright back in the day. This mismatch paired a big man against a speedy receiver on a deep diagonal route.
“I say that, and I always give that example because everyone knows their book,” Marshall said. “So now I’m going into the game knowing how to beat their defense. … Defensively, it’s not what it used to be. It used to be hard, hard, hard back in the day to beat the Seattle Seahawks and get anything on them. It starts there with philosophy. He has to change his ways.”
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Marshall Also Pointed Out Some Personnel Decisions
While the former NFL receiver used Carroll’s philosophy as an example of what must change, he also voiced some other concerns. He specifically pointed out that the Seahawks have not invested much draft capital into the offense during Carroll’s tenure while simultaneously bringing in older players via trade or free agency.
“When is the last time they drafted an offensive lineman in the first round?” Marshall asked. “They went and got Duane [Brown] a couple of years ago, but everybody else that they went and got, these were old school dudes. Even me, they got me in year 13.”
The last time the Seahawks used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman was in 2016. They selected Germain Ifedi out of Texas A&M, who spent four seasons with the Seahawks and led the league in penalties in 2017.
Prior to Ifedi, Carroll used two first-round picks on offensive linemen. He selected Russell Okung in 2010 and James Carpenter in 2011. Four of his remaining five first-round picks have been defensive players with running back Rashaad Penny in 2018 serving as the exception.
Vick Listed 1 Key Departure As the Source of the Issues
GettyMichael Vick listed the departure of Dan Quinn (left) as a problem.
Marshall pointed out Carroll’s philosophy while Douzable said that Wilson is not a timing-based quarterback, but Vick went in a different direction with his explanation for the issues. He said that one key departure after the 2014 season played the biggest role in the “downfall.”
“I’m going to say two words — Dan Quinn,” Vick said during the episode. “He left. When Dan Quinn left, this team hasn’t been the same. Offense and defense. Just ain’t been the same.”
Quinn had two separate tenures in Seattle, separated by a two-year run at the University of Florida (2011-2012). He started as an assistant head coach and defensive line coach in 2009 and 2010 before departing for Florida. Quinn returned for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, resulting in two trips to the Super Bowl and one victory. This run includes the 2013 season when the Seahawks led the league with the fewest points allowed (231), fewest yards allowed (4,378), and takeaways (39).
Quinn left the Seahawks in February 2015 to become the head coach of the Falcons, resulting in another trip to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Seahawks continued to reach the playoffs, but they have failed to move beyond the divisional round.
Losing Quinn and relying on Kris Richard and Ken Norton Jr. may have played a role in the failure to return to the Super Bowl, but the Seahawks have dealt with other significant changes. Players like Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, KJ Wright, and Bruce Irvin have all departed for other teams while the offensive line has struggled mightily with protecting Wilson.
The 2021 season is the latest example of numerous factors disrupting the Seahawks. The defense hurt the team early while Wilson’s finger surgery played a significant role in other losses. Key players missing games due to COVID-19 only continued the trend.
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Former Receiver Calls for Seahawks to Change Philosophy: ‘Everyone Knows Their Book’