5 ways the Seahawks seem different without Pete Carroll
In the first 2 months of John Schneider's reign atop the Seahawks, the franchise is already much different: Seaside Joe 1825
Did the Seattle Seahawks make the 2 best moves of the NFL offseason so far by making one decision? That results have yet to be seen, but owner Jody Allen’s process is undeniably fascinating so far.
The one move was the Seahawks deciding to fire Pete Carroll after 14 years on the job.
The two moves that followed were the one that’s obvious to everyone—hiring 36-year-old Mike Macdonald as Pete’s successor, a highly-graded move across the league it seems—and the one that gets less attention: These are now the John Schneider Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks don’t just have a new head coach, they also basically have a new GM. And of all the new GMs in the NFL today, Schneider clearly has the superior resume. Will he turn Seattle back into a champion in his vision post-Pete? We’re going to find out, but the Seahawks are clearly already different as evident in at least these five examples.
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John Schneider is “the man”
Though Schneider has certainly been an important figure in the NFL for the past 14 years, this is the first time that he’s been the face of the Seahawks. What was once Pete’s role of speaking for the team under most circumstances, now Schneider is the main source of information on all things Seahawks while Macdonald is busy with homework. The change has already shown up with the number of interviews and soundbites he’s provided at the combine this week.
Though most of Seattle’s fans could pick Schneider out of a lineup (just don’t Google his name or you’ll think he’s the The Dukes of Hazzard actor), this is probably the first time that people who mostly follow other teams are becoming familiar with the Seahawks GM on a more personal level.
In Pete’s final press conference he emphasized that this moment was something Schneider had been waiting 14 years for, the only indication we really need to confirm that 2024 is a true change of power from the former head coach to the GM. In addition, Schneider has also had a change of title, which he noted was agreed to last year if Pete did part ways with the Seahawks.
By all indications, Seattle was “Pete’s team” from 2010-2023 and rather than transfer that power to a first-time head coach, the Seahawks are now officially “John’s team”.
Can John Schneider build a Super Bowl caliber roster and coaching staff without Pete Carroll? Jody Allen has given Schneider her confidence that not only is he capable, but that the previous front office setup was holding him back.