When the Seattle Seahawks decided to trade Russell Wilson in 2022, a perceived rift between the QB and Pete Carroll emerged in the media. But years after the trade, the head coach took the time to say that he still has a good relationship with Wilson. In fact, Carroll even considered signing him as a free agent this offseason.
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When Wilson left the Seahawks, it was somewhat on his own merit. Ultimately, it was the team that made the trade. But before it, Russ had expressed that he wanted a change of scenery, citing the offense of not maximizing his potential as the main issue.
Naturally, many saw the statement as a critique of Carroll and his team. And it led to some to believe that the two didn’t like each other behind closed doors. But recently, Carroll explained how that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Yeah, we’re doing fine. I stay in contact with the guys as best as I can,” Carroll said about Wilson on the Get Got Pod. “Russ was one to call me. I’ve heard a lot from him. I’ve stayed in contact with him throughout, with the same thought, just trying to help him through.”
Carroll also mentioned that he had been staying in touch with Geno Smith. He seemingly likes to help both of his former QBs from time to time if they’re ever going through a rough stretch. It goes to show that Carroll is not just a good coach, but a good person too.
Additionally, the Las Vegas Raiders made the move to trade for Geno after appointing Carroll as head coach. But Carroll revealed that Wilson was also on the table as an option.
“Nobody knows those guys as well as I do. So, if I can be there for them, or answer some questions, or kick them in the butt, or whatever. There was a chance that, with Russ coming up on free agency that we needed a quarterback. There was a conversation in that short amount of time before we got Geno that there could be a shot,” Carroll said.
In the end, Wilson decided to sign with the New York Giants on a one-year contract worth $10.5 million. It’s a clever deal that could net Russ up to $21 million if he reaches his incentives. A week after the deal was announced, the Raiders made the trade for Geno and extended him for the next two seasons.
Why did Wilson fly in to celebrate Carroll?
When Carroll was let go by the Seahawks in January 2024, many were puzzled when Wilson decided to fly up and “celebrate” his former coach. Some thought he was mocking him after the perceived deterioration of their relationship. But Wilson clarified that it was meant as a thank-you for everything Carroll had given him over the years.
“I just wanted to celebrate him, because I thought that he gave me so much. In the midst of everybody talking all this noise about me and Pete, we’ve always, forever been connected. He was texting me throughout the season and everything else and letting me know, ‘Hey, I still believe in you,’ this and that ‘Keep going’ this and that, and vice versa,” Wilson told Brandon Marshall on the I AM ATHLETE podcast.
Reportedly, it wasn’t just Russ who visited his former coach; tons of former Seahawks from the 2013 Super Bowl team went as well, most notably Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. All in all, it sounded like a thoughtful gesture from Wilson following the departure of the longtime head coach. Russ said it even made Carroll’s wife cry at the time.
But now, Carroll is in Las Vegas, captaining a new ship. It’s crazy how much the NFL can change in such a short amount of time. Imagine telling a fan in 2019 that one day Carroll would be in Vegas (who didn’t have a team yet), Wilson would be in New York, and Aaron Rodgers would be on the Steelers? They would think that you’re mentally insane. The NFL moves quickly, and as a fan, you gotta stay in touch with the times.
