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Seattle Seahawks: Pete Carroll retirement best for team?

By Cody Williams

SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 17: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks walks the sideline after another Los Angeles Rams field goal during the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on December 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 17: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks walks the sideline after another Los Angeles Rams field goal during the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on December 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images) /
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Reports suggest that Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll could retire after this season, but would that be best for all involved?

On Sunday ahead of the Seattle Seahawks’ Week 17 matchup with the rival Arizona Cardinals, FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer dropped a bomb. Amidst what’s been a pretty tumultuous season for the Seahawks, they could have more coming. According to reports, Carroll is contemplating retirement at the end of the 2017 season.

Glazer’s report does state that the decision for Carroll to leave is entirely in the hands of the coach. Thus, we can infer that he’s not in danger of being fired. And given the success of Carroll in Seattle, that would make sense. However, considering the state of the team currently, would a departure for the head coach be the best thing for all involved?

Obviously the head coach has no control over the litany of injuries the Seahawks have suffered through this season. What he does have control over is the culture. Suffice it to say that the culture in Seattle has long been different than virtually every other NFL locker room for some time.

Throughout the years of Carroll’s tenure, the Seahawks have fought with one another on the sidelines, been subject of controversy on the field and so on. However, they’ve always thrived off of that persona and characterization. Put simply, it fed them.

With the Legion of Boom getting older, though, and perhaps being on their last legs, it appears that the culture being a formula for success might also be nearing its end. While the Seahawks can make the playoffs still as they come into Week 17, they are clearly a shell of the teams of old. Again, injuries have played a part in that — but that was also the case before the injuries started to crop up for Seattle.

There’s no questioning Carroll’s merits as a head coach. He has a Super Bowl ring and winning season after winning season to prove it. However, there comes a time in the NFL when things have run their course and a change is necessary. It could well be that the Seahawks have reached that point with the head coach.

And let’s not forget that, despite chewing gum with the vigor of a man much younger, Carroll is no spring chicken at 66 years old. At a certain point, perhaps maintaining this type of team and culture is no longer feasible for him. That has to be taken into consideration as well.

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Ultimately, something has to change in Seattle moving forward. Even if they make the postseason, this isn’t the type of team that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, and Russell Wilson and Co. are too talented to mull in mediocrity. Perhaps all that’s needed is personnel changes on the roster. But maybe — just maybe — a change at head coach and thus a change of culture should also be in store.

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