Seahawks Coach Finally Admits What Happened in Super Bowl 49 Loss

Now we finally know exactly how the most infamous bad play-call in Seattle Seahawks history happened.

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Seahawks Coach Carroll Grants Interview to Ex-player Richard Sherman

The longtime Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll sat down for an interesting and enlightening interview with an ex-player of his, Richard Sherman, on his YouTube podcast The Volume. The two have a lot of history together including fairly recent beef when Sherman's contract wasn't extended. The reasons for the 'breakup' were not just money/age but also about the broken relationship with the team after the Super Bowl 49 loss to the New England Patriots. One specific controversial play call near the end of that game not only cost the Seattle Seahawks their second NFL championship but also supposedly destroyed the unity of the team. For years ex-players and fans have debated exactly WHY Lynch didn't run the ball and now we have heard it from the 'man' himself Pete Carroll.

Pete Carroll and Richard Sherman Sit Down for Interesting Interview

Even though there was a time when Sherman & Carroll were not on the best of terms, all of that was clearly gone after watching this interview. Sherman immediately shows praise and respect for his old coach calling him "one of my favorite people" as they talk about things in their past. Sherman explains the reason why he was so angry at the team was because he was so "bought in" and he admits to just feeling betrayed when they released him. Carrol explains that those couple of years were the first time he had to make tough decisions like that coaching. Financially the team had to make tough choices like releasing Sherman but said that he always had faith that the relationships they had built over the years would bring those players back home. Then Richard Sherman asked Coach Carroll about the infamous Super Bowl 49 play call and surprisingly Pete answered.

"That Play Just Happened"- Pete Carroll

About halfway into the interview, Sherman brings up their Super Bowl 48 win, and the two men start talking about the next year's loss. "You guys were so mad at me and so pissed" is how Carroll starts the hard conversation trying to explain exactly what happened. Carroll explains at that point in the game he wanted to make sure the team had all 4 chances to score and was going to have to throw the ball at least once with only 1 timeout. He explains that the Patriots sent in goal-line defense late after the Seahawks had already put in 11 (a passing formation). "We were in 11 versus goal-line and that is what led to them throwing on that down" explains Carroll to Sherman. He goes on saying "I was rock solid on the philosophy of it, it was just the worst play that could ever happen!".

Pete Carroll Admits His Thoughts Immediately After Controversial Play

After seeing the result on the field, Coach Carroll said immediately he bent down and thought in his mind "Oh Sh*t, I gotta take this. This is one of those moments that you prepare for, you gotta be the epitome of poise, handle it, deal with it, and own it". Pete also says right after that statement that he thinks if they instead won that game, the Seahawks would have won it again the following year. He reminds Sherman that they got into the playoffs the next year even with all the fighting and turmoil in the locker room. Sherman adds that "it was more hurt than anger but hurt comes out as anger sometimes". He also admitted that his old coach's philosophy for the play call was completely right and strategically sound after hearing the explanation.

Can Seattle Seahawks Now Move Past Super Bowl 49?

As a longtime fan of the team, it was great for me to see these two men hash out their past while also explaining exactly what happened to Seahawks fans at the same time. Maybe now Seahawks fans can put away the conspiracy theories and move forward past that tough time in our team's history. Coach Carroll points out that now lots of ex-players from that Super Bowl team are often around the Seahawks facilities. Sherman as well as players like Baldwin, Bennett, Chancellor, Avril, and KJ have all been seen recently at practices mentoring the new generation on how to win another NFL Super Bowl Championship. Maybe that help and new healing can help the Seahawks get that elusive 2nd ring this season or the next. See the entire interview below.