It’s time to move on from Pete Carroll and rebuild

It pains me to say this, but Pete Carroll needs to be fired. Now.

I’ve been on the fire Pete train for some time now, but I’ve never felt 100% certain that he deserves to lose his job. Every once in a while, the Seahawks pull off a win that gives him an extra half-season of employment in my subconscious mind. But the time for forgiveness is over.

Monday’s absolutely repulsive display against New Orleans was the final straw. At 2-4, I was willing to give the Seahawks until the end of this game to make a judgement on the season, and thus the employment status of the coaching staff and front office, but it’s now clear that Pete Carroll and John Schneider have assembled a largely useless roster, and made things worse by putting them in tired schemes that haven’t been effective for almost a decade.

The fact is, Pete Carroll has been aged out for the NFL for some time, and has severely hampered the Seahawks’ success with his outdated understanding of the NFL, whether it be his coaching schemes, in-game decision making (especially on 4th down), or inability to make coaching adjustments. Imagining what the Seahawks could have been with a coach that has a philosophy grounded in this century of football makes me sick. The absolutely pathetic showing on Monday night made me sicker than I’ve ever been.

Pete Carroll, for what it’s worth, isn’t afraid to admit that his coaching hasn’t earned him this job for some time.

We’re still operating under the assumption that Pete Carroll is still a good head coach based on what he did in 2013 (and we have the same bias towards John Schneider, for that matter). Eight years later, it’s clear that there is nothing extraordinary about either of them anymore. They’ve managed to run this team into the ground and have taken much of Russell Wilson’s prime with them.

I don’t know if the Seahawks will ever fire Pete Carroll; perhaps they’ll allow him the dignity of retirement after this season. All I can hope for is that we just get humiliated enough over the course of the next few games that the ownership has no other choice.

Sadly, even after Pete’s gone, we don’t have a ton to build on. John Schneider has managed to deal away two first-rounders for Jamal Adams, essentially wrecking the first part of our rebuild. He continues to make questionable draft decisions (see Jordyn Brooks, Rashaad Penny, and L.J. Collier) even when he does have first rounders. I don’t want to see him as a part of this team next year, either. I’d rather go through a more severe rebuild right now than watch the embers of the Carroll-Schneider era slowly burn out over the next few years (as they have been for some time now).

So, what’s left to do after Pete and John are gone? Give almost everyone up. Trade Wilson, Wagner, Carson, and maybe even Lockett for picks, and try to trade Jamal Adams (although I don’t think anyone would be stupid enough to try and get him). Acquire a veteran QB to hold down the fort. Metcalf is still young, so if we can pay him enough he’ll stay and still be in his prime after the rebuild ends (hopefully within the next five years). Hire a young head coach with a good understanding of analytics and, heck, maybe even how to run an offense. And get a general manager with a good record in the draft.

I’d be surprised if the Seahawks could pull all of that of and become good again within the decade, but it’s worth a shot. The team needs to start as soon as possible by getting rid of the coach (and President of Football Operations) and general manager. I appreciate what they’ve done for the team, and they’ve brought so much happiness for me as a fan, but it’s time to go. Now more than ever.