Before the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos, the quarterback requested that team coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider be fired, league sources said. The athletic. On Friday, Wilson denied the report in a tweet, saying, “I never wanted to fire (Carroll or Schneider).” Here’s what you need to know:
- Wilson was convinced that Carroll and Schneider were getting in the way of his quest to win additional Super Bowls and individual awards, according to league sources connected with The athletic on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the details.
- The quarterback had a preferred replacement in mind: Sean Payton, who had recently retired from the New Orleans Saints.
- Wilson posted his request to fire the coach and GM in February 2022. Within days of his call, the top team officials met and decided to continue trading the nine-time Pro Bowler, according to sources.
- Payton and Wilson are now united in Denver after the Broncos hired the off-season coach.
Backstory
On March 8, 2022, the Seahawks leadership publicly supported Carroll and Schneider by sending Wilson, the most successful quarterback in franchise history, to the Broncos for five draft picks and three players.
Before the 2022 season began, Wilson waived his no-trade clause and signed a five-year, $245 million extension. He told his new teammates that he approved of Denver as his destination because he believed the Broncos could win championships.
However, Wilson’s plans did not get off to a great start in his first season in Denver. He threw for 3,524 yards with lows in touchdowns (16) and completion percentage (60.5) in 15 games. The Broncos went 5–12, including a Week 1 loss to Seattle, and finished last in the AFC West. During Denver’s struggling season, the team fired coach Nathaniel Hackett 15 games into his first year with the organization.
Read more about Wilson and his disastrous first season with the Broncos The athletics full story of Kalyn Kahler, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks here.
What they say
On Friday, Wilson responded to the report on Twitter.
“I love Pete and he was a father figure to me and John believed in me and called me out as well,” said Wilson. “I never wanted to fire them. All either of us wanted was to win. I will always respect them and love Seattle.”
GO DEEPER
‘Too much influence’, too few wins in Russell Wilson’s first year with the Broncos
(Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)