Could Russell Wilson's trade to Broncos prompt Seahawks HC Pete Carroll to retire?

Russell Wilson's and Pete Carroll’s NFL partnership yielded success in Seattle with a Super Bowl title in two trips to the big game. Pete Carroll is the reason Russell Wilson became a star quarterback. Carrol ran the team similarly to how he ran the USC Trojans when he was a college football coach. That means, even if you’re paid professionals (and even if you signed a big contract), every position on the team is an open competition to ensure the best player plays for the team.

In 2012, the Seahawks signed quarterback Matt Flynn to a big $20 million contract after he had success filling in for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The Seahawks spent a lot of money, so they expected Flynn to lead the team while grooming rookie Russell Wilson, who the Seahawks drafted in the 3rd round. Pete Carroll, however, never declared Flynn the starter and made the quarterback position an open battle in training camp. Wilson outperformed Flynn in the preseason, and the rest is history. Wilson started for the Seahawks his rookie season and went on to become an elite quarterback.

Now that that chapter in Seattle Seahawks history is over with the Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos, this might spell the end of Pete Carroll’s career in the NFL. Although Carroll’s NFL legacy is secure, his plans for the franchise in the next few seasons will look different now that his franchise quarterback is gone.

What does Russell Wilson’s trade mean for Pete Carroll’s future as a head coach?

Pete Carroll signed a five-year contract extension in 2020 with the Seahawks throughout the 2025 NFL season. Of course, with the trade and loss of his longtime star quarterback, the situation drastically changes in Seattle. Carroll is already the oldest head coach in the league (Bill Belichick is the second oldest behind Carroll by a year), so he may not be interested in a long-term rebuild.

The Seahawks are coming off a season where they missed the playoffs. With Wilson gone, and their “Legion of Boom” defense no longer the intimidating unit of past seasons, the team faces a lot of uncertainty heading into next season and the near future.

Although the Seahawks are reportedly receiving quarterback Drew Lock in the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos, it’s difficult to imagine the Seahawks starting Lock at QB with a talented wide receiver corps that includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Depending on how long Carroll intends to stay with the team, the team could easily sign a free agent quarterback (although the 2022 QB Free Agent class does not have a franchise-quality quarterback available) or trade for a quarterback near the same level as Wilson.

Aaron Rodgers was a long shot to land in Seattle, but that scenario closed when Rodgers re-signed with the Packers the same day that the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to Denver. That being said, Pete Carroll is still under contract through the 2025 season. If he intends to see it through, he still has, at least, one season to reshape his roster and put the team in position to be in the quarterback market next season, whether through free agency or trades.