Getty Russell Wilson said goodbye to the Seahawks.
When asked about the ongoing Russell Wilson trade rumors, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is not making any guarantees. During an interview with Fox 13 Seattle’s Aaron Levine, Carroll was asked if he could finally put the Wilson trade rumors to rest and the Seahawks coach declined with a candid response. Instead, Carroll delivered a cryptic message admitting that, “there’s so much stuff that can happen in the offseason.”
“I don’t know that, I don’t that, I don’t want to give you false hopes cuz there’s just so much stuff that can happen in the offseason,” Carroll said when asked about the Wilson trade rumors during an interview released on January 13. “There’s unpredictable stuff, but we’ll do everything we can to keep it in order and all that.”
Here’s a look at Carroll’s telling comments about what could be another unpredictable offseason for the Seahawks.
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You can see the full interview with Pete Carroll on #Seahawks Saturday Night this Sat at 10:30pm on @Fox13Seattle
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Carroll on Trade Rumors: ‘We’re Going to Compete at Every Turn’
As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport pointed out, this was likely Carroll’s first interview the coach conducted since having the infamous meeting with Seahawks owner Jody Allen about his future. Carroll referenced Allen’s desire for both he and general manager John Schneider to “take a look at every single opportunity” to improve the team.
“Let me say this, we’re going to compete at every turn, that’s all we know how to do,” Carroll added. “That’s all John [Schneider] and I have been doing since we got here and we’re not backing off that. Whatever is there, we gotta exhaust the opportunities for our club, and right from the owner.
“Jody wants us to take a look at every single opportunity to better the franchise and help us. So, that’s what we do. We’ll try to take you along with us. I’ll try to be as straight as I can with you so you know what’s going on as fans, the ship and all that, because we love you and we want you to be part of what’s happening.”
Wilson Wants to Meet With Other Teams: Report
I love my guy @jtheaps9 but disagreed with him this morning on what it means to build around Russell Wilson. Something tells me he’ll respond (as he should).
Hear the whole thing and get the show on demand here: t.co/wtLfSNQvuT
Carroll’s noncommittal comments on the team’s franchise quarterback came just before Rapoport reported that Wilson wants to talk with other teams about a potential trade this offseason. This despite Wilson’s repeated comments throughout the season about hoping to stay with the Seahawks. Wilson has a no-trade clause giving him veto power in any potential trade.
“Just like last year, the Seahawks’ season crashed to a disappointing halt,” Rapoport detailed on January 16. “Just like last year, the questions surrounding their star quarterback overshadow everything this offseason. And just like last year, sources say Russell Wilson wants to explore his options to see what else might be out there for him.
“Wilson has not demanded a trade, and it’s not clear if he will. But at the least, those close to Wilson say he wants to investigate other destinations to see if those would put him in a better position to win another championship and create the legacy he sees for himself.”
For Carroll’s part, the Seahawks coach is optimistic that the current roster has the “nucleus of a championship.” Time will tell if Wilson agrees with Carroll’s evaluation.
“But it’s going to take us some time to put it all together, as it always is,” Carroll remarked. “There’s a lot of really difficult decisions that have to be made this time of year, and they start with the free agents and well before the draft and all that.
“And so, I love this locker room. I love this team and what they bring and leadership and how much they love to practice and play and work together and play for one another. We’ve got the nucleus of a championship right here, and so we’re going to try to keep that together. We’ll take you with us as we go through it.”