Looks like there’s no more bad blood between Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll.
After months of trade rumors surrounding Wilson, the Seahawks quarterback publicly made clear all is well in Seattle.
On Tuesday, the first day of the Seahawks’ mandatory minicamp, Wilson awkwardly crashed Carroll’s press conference to set the record straight.
“Just letting everybody know weβre still friends,” Wilson said as he embraced his head coach in front of the cameras.
In the clip, Carroll struggles to respond with a joke, landing on “Get out of here, you had your press conference,” with a laugh.
The drama between Wilson and Carroll reportedly stemmed from the quarterback’s open disapproval of Carroll firing offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. The tension furthered when Wilson stated how he wanted more say in the franchise’s future.
It is also no secret that the Super Bowl champion is frustrated with the lack of offensive line protection. Over the course of his nine seasons in the NFL β all with Seattle β he has been sacked 394 times.
When asked in February whether he was up for a trade, Wilson claimed he was “not sure if [he’s] available or not.”
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The 32-year-old had one of his best seasons to date in 2020, throwing a career-high 40 touchdowns and 4,212 yards. However, the Seahawks (12-4) struggled in the second half of the season, barely posting 22 points per game. Seattle lost to the division-rival Rams in the first round of the playoffs.
Throughout the rumors, Wilson claims he never officially asked for a trade from the team. According to reports, the Bears gave a hefty offer for Wilson β which Carroll shot down.
In 2019, the seven-time Pro Bowler signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Seahawks. He carries a $32 million cap hit for 2021.
Wilson, who has never missed a game in his career, claims he has no intention to ever leave the Seahawks. If he and Carroll are truly “still friends,” then the franchise will be shelling out big for years to come.