Wednesday afternoon, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider met with the media to discuss the upcoming NFL Draft. They also spent a considerable amount of time talking about the Russell Wilson trade rumors. Carroll took time during this media availability to emphatically shut down rumors of locker room rifts.
The head coach explained during the Wednesday press conference that potential issues surface in different forms of media, whether they are articles or reports on ESPN or NFL Network. Carroll said that he doesn’t blame the media for creating these stories based on player comments but added that they force the players and coaches to have extra conversations about head-turning comments.
“There’s always questions because people believe stuff that [the media] write,” Carroll told media members. “So there’s always stuff that has to be dealt with in one way or another. Always, constantly it’s like that. We always try to give a brother some slack because when you say stuff, it doesn’t always represent how you feel. So we have to always be open-minded to talk to the guys and talk things through. That is ongoing around the club like this.”
The Seahawks will be united and ready for the 2021 season
With so many questions about Wilson and his future with the team, there was an extra focus on the harmony in the locker room. Other NFL teams, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, have dealt with similar issues in past years where reports “details” massive rifts between the star quarterback and his teammates. Are the Seahawks in a similar position?
GettyRussell Wilson gathers his teammates
According to Carroll, there are no issues heading toward the season. He acknowledged that there are some conversations taking place in the aftermath of the Wilson trade rumors, but he shut down any reports of rifts. The head coach left no room for any conjecture with a deliberate response.
“There’s conversations that are always having to be made, but our guys are taking care of their business. They are communicating well, and everything is going fine. We don’t have any issues at all.” Carroll continued and also addressed the possibility that some of the newer players will need Wilson to speak to them directly and confirm that he is still a leader in the locker room.
“There’s perception and stuff, and guys are wondering what’s up, what’s going on, and is there something happening and all that,” Carroll said. “In this environment where we’re not together, it’s a little more difficult to connect with people. But through the process of our time together, the work that we’ve put in, and the hours that we are putting in now, we will accumulate plenty of opportunities for guys to be clear and really on the same page. If they have questions or whatever, things will be proven otherwise.
“Russell is one of the great competitors, a guy who applies himself to his work,” Carroll continued. “Through all of the processes, guys will get to know each other and all of that. That is what’s going on this time of year for the new guys coming in. For the older relationships, those have their way of working themselves out as well.”
In-person activities will help erase any potential issues
With the players taking part in virtual meetings due to COVID-19, they don’thave the opportunity to work together during grueling workouts or have face-to-face conversations. Instead, they are communicating through the use of technology. However, Carroll explained that the team has a plan in place to ensure that everyone is on the same page moving forward.
“We are going to be really straight up and straightforward and clear about it,” th coach explained. “Not panic and think that there’s any crazy things that we need to… there’s nothing that we need to do other than to go back to work, look each other in the eye, be straight up and accountable to one another, and do what it takes to get that done. That’s the process that’s going to take care of whatever issues might have arisen.”
The Seahawks will continue to work together during the virtual portion of the schedule and once they officially begin hitting the field together. They will work together under the summer sun, sweating and pushing toward a common goal. For now, however, they will wait to learn the names of the latest draft picks.
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Seahawks Respond to Reports of Locker Room Rifts