Russell Wilson vs Pete Carroll cold war goes on as Broncos QB claps back
As far as NFL split-ups go, Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll's parting was one that still has fans curious. From the outside, everything seemed fine. But on the inside, it was far from the case and Wilson ultimately left the Seattle Seahawks for the Denver Broncos.
Nonetheless, the tension between the pair has reached a new level after the latest comments from Carroll to which Wilson has now responded.
Carroll was speaking on Pro Football Talk when the subject of calling plays off wristbands came up. Carroll said:
“If you notice, Geno’s going off the wristband, and that’s a big help. It’s smoothed things out, sped things up, cleaned things up. And that’s part of it too. We never did that before. There was resistance to that, so we didn’t do that before.”
#Seahawks coach Pete Carroll took subtle shots at his former QB, Russell Wilson this season. Especially after beating him on Week 1 this year.
Those shots continued this week during a radio interview (via @ProFootballTalk) https://t.co/LxxQAcJfxg
We don't have to look too far to dissect exactly who Carroll was talking about. He didn't mention a name, but we all know that he was talking about Wilson.
However, the former Seahawks quarterback has now responded to the dig at him by his former coach and said the following via Mike Klis of KUSA:
“I don’t know exactly what he said. Won a lot of games there without one on my wrist. I didn’t know winning or losing mattered whether you wore a wristband or not."
Russell Wilson on play-call sheet on wrist band: “Won a lot of games. Didn’t know winning or losing mattered whether you wore a wrist band.” #9sports https://t.co/XZ7IqlK7gK
Why did Russell Wilson leave the Seahawks?
In a nutshell, the big reason why Russell Wilson left Seattle was because he wanted to have a voice in player personnel decisions. He was also disillusioned at the team's inability or want to provide protection for him along his offensive line.
Russell Wilson's final year in Seattle yielded a 6-8 record as the Seahawks missed the playoffs after a 12-4 record the season prior.
The 33-year-old was subsequently traded to the Denver Broncos in the offseason to much fanfare as many expected the Broncos to challenge for the Super Bowl. Well, the grass isn't greener right now.
Denver has a poor 3-4 record after seven games with Wilson looking like a shadow of his former self. He has thrown for 1,694 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions, completing 58.8 percent of his passes (a career-low).
With the Seahawks enjoying life without their former quarterback at 6-3, Pete Carroll can afford to take shots at his former player. However, it is still Russell Wilson and he will not give up the season without a fight.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Pro Football Talk, Mike Klis, and H/T Sportskeeda