Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson seemed to be on rocky terms before the Seattle Seahawks eventually traded the quarterback. Wilson's disdain of Carroll now seems much deeper, as he wanted the Seahawks to replace him with Sean Payton.
Wilson believed Carroll, and General Manager John Schneider, were holding back the Seahawks from winning more Super Bowl and holding him back from winning more individual awards, via The Athletic's Kayln Kahler, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks. He requested both Carroll and Schneider to be fired in Feb. 2022. After the request, Seattle almost immediately moved forward in trading Wilson.
Alongside just wanting Carroll fired, Wilson had a replacement in mind. He wanted Sean Payton as his new coach in Seattle. Now, the pair has been united with the Denver Broncos.
However, the Broncos' quarterback vehemently denies the rumors levied against him. He credited both Carroll and Schneider for how they developed him during his time in Seattle. Furthermore, he said he had no ongoing beef with the Seahawks and was proud of his time spent there.
“I love Pete and he was a father figure to me and John believed in me and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired,” Wilson said. “All any of us wanted was to win. I'll always have respect for them and love for Seattle.
Russell Wilson spent a decade playing for Pete Carroll. He was named a Pro Bowler nine times and won the Super Bowl in 2014. But whether he wanted Carroll fired or not, it was clear that their relationship soured.
Now, Wilson will have the opportunity to play under Payton in Denver. His debut with the Broncos didn't go to plan as the team held a 5-12 record. But now playing for his preferred coach, Wilson is looking for a Broncos bounce-back in 2023.
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