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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE – Russell Wilson did not want Brian Schottenheimer’s Seattle Seahawks to move in as their offensive coordinator.
He does want to say some in their next one.
Wilson revealed the coach of Pete Carroll and reporters during a video conference Thursday.
“I think it’s crucial, it’s critical, extremely important, that I’m part of the process,” Wilson said. ‘Coach and I definitely talked about it, [general manager John Schneider] also. We had a great dialogue about the thought process of who we want, the leader … the innovator, all the different things you want. I think this is the extremely critical thing, of course at this stage of my career because you spend every day with that person … As many hours as Schotty and I spent together, I’m going to miss the man because we spent so much time worked together and so hard.
“The next person, whoever it is, it is very important that we are on the same page at all times and always talk and vibrate and really, really on the same page.”
The Seahawks announced Tuesday that Schottenheimer is out after three seasons, citing philosophical differences. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Carroll and Schottenheimer met on Monday night and a mutual decision to divorce is in the best interests of both parties.
“If you ask me if I was for it, no,” Wilson said, choosing his words carefully. ‘It was not my decision to change [from] Schotty. But I think Coach Carroll made the decision. I trust his decision. ‘
Schottenheimer’s departure came after the end of a bizarre season in which the Seahawks scored the most points in franchise history but fell sharply during the second half of the season. Their fight continued last weekend in their loss of the game card against the Los Angeles Rams.
Wilson led the NFL by 28 in the first nine weeks of the season, while Seattle led the league to score 34 points per game. But Wilson has only passed twelve times in the last eight weeks of the regular season, while Seattle’s score has dropped to 22.6 points per game.
Wilson praised Schottenheimer as a coach, leader and friend and said he had become a close relationship with Schottenheimer’s family.
“I think he’s going to be a great coach for someone else, so hopefully for another team here,” Wilson said. “I think he’s going to be a head coach. I think he has that type of leadership ability. Unfortunately for us, I think it was a kind of time in Coach’s eyes to see if we could make a change. We were the best attack. in football for the first middle part of the season. He was a big part of it. “
If Wilson has a specific name in mind that he hopes the Seahawks rent, he did not offer many clues. On the question he is looking for in his next OC, Wilson mentions leadership, passion for football, teaching skills and the ability to find the strengths of all 11 players.