Pete Carroll Had No Intention of Dealing Russell Wilson After Trade Request

The past decade of Seahawks football has undeniably been defined by two figures: Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson. Two weeks after a blockbuster trade sent Wilson to Denver, Carroll spoke during a radio appearance with Seattle Sports 710 about his reluctance to part ways with his longtime quarterback.

Carroll said he fought against trading Wilson for as long as he could, and he had no intention of trading him coming into the offseason. After Wilson requested a trade, the two had “a lot of conversations” regarding the quarterback’s future, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, and ultimately arrived at the point that the team decided dealing Wilson was the best strategy—though Carroll insisted that he didn’t want to trade Wilson and didn’t think a trade would happen. With the trade now done, Carroll says it does present the team with an “opportunity in many directions,” citing Seattle’s draft capital as a result. 

Carroll arrived in Seattle in 2010, and drafted Wilson in the third round two years later. Together, the pair made the playoffs eight times in 10 years, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one in their second season together. Seattle won 10 or more games eight times during that span, with Wilson making nine Pro Bowl appearances.

Last year, the Seahawks finished 7–10 and in last place of the NFC West, the team’s first losing season since Wilson arrived. The quarterback missed three games with a broken finger, and finished the season with 3,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions over 14 games.

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