It’s a break in Seahawks history. The moment a tight-knit team began to disintegrate. Several articles and testimonials had already explained it.
When Malcolm Butler intercepted the pass that could have given Seattle Super Bowl XLIX, the sky fell on Pete Carroll and his players.
For years, this action and the supposedly favorable treatment of Russell Wilson seemed to fuel resentment among part of the team.
On Tuesday, in The Volume podcast, Pete Carroll and Richard Sherman finally explained themselves.
A reminder, first. There are 26 seconds left in the game at the start of February in Phoenix. The Patriots lead 28-24, but Seattle is 1 yard from the end zone. The Seahawks are on their 2nd attempt. Russell Wilson backs up, tries a pass, but Malcolm Butler pops up to intercept the leather and secure the victory for New England (see the blackboard).
“You were so pissed off at me,” Carroll recalled.
“We were hurt,” Sherman replies.
Have 4 attempts to score
For the coach, there was a logic in calling a pass at that time. And that logic wasn’t to make Russell Wilson shine or keep Marshawn Lynch from getting the honors.
“This action just happened like that. We chose her. And it happened. It wasn’t a plan. There was no hidden goal or agenda. It just happened like that.
When we arrived at this part of the field in front of the end zone, we had no more down time. As soon as we got there, I said one of those plays was going to have to be a pass for us to have the four attempts. Make sure we have the opportunity to have 4 chances to score. »
After a miraculous pass that put Seattle in a good position, Lynch ran and was stopped in front of the end zone.
“We play the first action. And I believe that Bill (Belichick) sends his players in goal line formation. While we have already sent our eleven on the ground. The info goes back to the coaches, and that’s what led to the fact that we launched this attempt. It had nothing to do with anything else. If we were to throw on one of those attempts… We had practiced this situation a million times. That’s what happened. There was no hidden intention. That’s just how we prepared.
So I was super serene about the philosophy of the thing. It was just the worst action that could happen. And the guy pulls off a great move. The action of his career. For everyone’s career. »
hurt rather than angry
Then we had to deal with the fallout.
“And it all got so dark in an instant.
I figured I’d have to take that on myself. I said to myself that we would have to manage and assume. […] It was a catastrophic moment.
[…] If we had won this match, we would have won another title. We were a great team. »
Apparently things are forgiven on Richard Sherman’s side.
“It was more of a hurt than anger. Sometimes when you’re hurt, the feelings that come out are like anger. The philosophy of action is solid. You are right about the circumstances. »
