Seattle Seahawks: Should Pete Carroll be worried about his job?

After missing the playoff in 2017 and looking weaker than in previous seasons, the Seattle Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll may be traveling down a path leading to a divorce.

Last season, the Seattle Seahawks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011, and for just the second time under head coach Pete Carroll. By now it’s an old story that everyone can see: the Legion of Boom is over and the Seahawks aren’t the team that went to back to back Super Bowls a few years ago.

After a lot of roster turnover this offseason, the team is in danger of missing the playoffs in 2018, but should Carroll be worried that he won’t survive another disappointing season?

The immediate answer I come up with is no. This man led his team to back to back Super Bowls and has always been an energetic and respected coach. 2018 shouldn’t be the end of Carroll’s reign in Seattle, but it definitely could edge him closer to losing his job.

A playoff-less season in 2019 would probably cost him his position, because NFL coaches nowadays rarely survive three seasons with no postseason appearances or victories. Most don’t even get the luxury of three years, just ask the previous coaches of the Cleveland Browns. Of course, Carroll is an exception because of his past success.

Previous success doesn’t always mean a coach or team will continue to win though, and Carroll might be facing some issues in his own locker room fro, veteran players. Former Seahawks Pro Bowl defensive end Cliff Avril revealed on the Dave Dameshek Football Program that there were some tensions between the team and their coach following the loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.

"I think guys started questioning him more, more so than actually following his lead if we’d won that Super Bowl."

The quote was used and elaborated on in an article by NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling.

Now, to be fair, a lot of the players from that 2014 team are no longer on the Seahawks roster, but some key players remain. One thing a coach can never afford is losing his locker room and the faith of his team. Doug Baldwin, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson are all stars on the team and were there for the Super Bowl loss.

If Carroll no longer has the absolute backing of those players, then he will almost certainly be fired within the next few years. Looking at this angle another way, big voices from that 2014 team, like Avril, Michael Bennett, and Richard Sherman departed the Seahawks this offseason and maybe that will be enough to clear the air and restore Carroll’s connection with the team.

Next: Seattle Seahawks: 5 Players to watch on offense in 2018

Either way, the Seahawks now face rising competition within their division and are reverting back to their underdog status from the early Carroll years. With the team retooling and lower expectations in 2018, the coach will have a prime opportunity to win his young players over if the season goes well. These next two years will be crucial for Carroll and the Seahawks. Both of their long-term fates will be decided within that span.