Social media and sports world react to Pete Carroll stepping down as Seahawks coach
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Seahawks’ Pete Carroll Era Ends
After 14 seasons of the most sustained success in Seahawks history, with a legacy of his players loving him and his unorthodox, personal approach, Pete Carroll is out as Seattle’s coach.
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Pete Carroll is out as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks after 14 seasons, which included two trips to the Super Bowl and the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship.
Carrol, 72, will remain in the organization in an adviser role, the team announced.
The Seahawks missed the playoffs this year, parted ways with franchise quarterback Russell Wilson in 2022 and have regressed since appearing in back-to-back Super Bowls in 2014 and 2015. Still, Carroll is generally considered the best coach in Seattle’s franchise history and it was uncertain whether Seattle would make a move until Carroll was ready to retire. Reaction poured in on social media in the wake of the news.
Former USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, who played for Carroll at USC, said on Colin Cowherd’s TV and radio show ‘The Herd’ that he was “shocked” by the news.
“I’m just kind of shocked at the news,” Sanchez said. “It came on as I was walking up here. … I totally understand keeping him around, I just don’t — I’ve never seen him in a role where he wasn’t in charge. I’m curious what that even looks like, you know?”
The NFL’s official account on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, posted a picture of Carroll holding the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XLVIII and shared some of his accomplishments in the league.
Former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman shared some thoughts on his YouTube page, wearing a Seahawks hat during the eight-minute video.
“I’m very surprised by this decision,” Sherman said. “Again, another winning season. They didn’t make the playoffs, so I think that was the expectation, there was disappointment there, but they’ve been consistent. They’ve been consistently a winning team, they’ve been consistently in these ball games.”
Sherman reiterated that he was surprised.
“I did not see this coming,” he said. “I did not see them letting Pete go. He’s one of the only coaches in the history of football in general to win a national championship in college and win a Super Bowl. I think he’s the greatest Seahawks coach of all time, and that’s not to be debated at this point.”
On the talk show “First Things First” on FS1, co-host Chris Broussard called it a “gentle firing.”
“It’s a gentle way of firing a guy who has been kind of legendary,” he said. “I was stunned. They had a good season.”
Looking for more Pete Carroll and Seahawks news? Follow the TNT’s Seahawks reporter, Gregg Bell, on X.
This story was originally published January 10, 2024 at 1:18 PM.
