Trade Russell Wilson? Dump Pete Carroll? No way, Ron Callan says …
Jim “The Whale” Wilson and Ron Callan
Veteran broadcaster Ron Callan, known locally for his work doing sidelines for football and radio play-by-play for women’s basketball for Oregon State, has also been press box public-address announcer for Seattle Seahawks games for 20 years. Counting time as a television reporter, pre-game host and network sideline reporter, Callan has put in 42 years with the Northwest’s NFL team.
It has been an unusual season for the Seahawks, who have made the playoffs seven times in eight years from 2012-20, including a pair of Super Bowl appearances. Not this year, though. The Hawks go into their regular-season finale at Arizona Sunday with a 6-10 record, mired in last place in the NFC West.
Callan, a contributor to kerryeggers.com in the past, offers his views on the future of coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson with the Seahawks.
By Ron Callan
The Seahawks have one more game to play before this disappointing season comes to an end. They face an NFC West team on a quest to win the title in that traditionally tough division. Arizona needs to beat Seattle to keep alive its NFC West championship hopes. If the Cardinals win and the Los Angeles Rams lose on Sunday, the Cards have the tie-breaker.
Russell Wilson and the Hawks must come up with their best performance of the season to spoil the Cardinals’ party in Glendale. Normally, the party would be at Seattle’s Lumen Field and the Seahawks would be trying to clinch a division title. But not this season.
For the first time in his career, Wilson suffered a serious injury, undergoing a surgery for a tendon rupture, dislocation and multiple factors of a finger that kept him out of action for four games through the middle of the season. Two things became evident:
• The Seahawks missed No. 3 in a big way.
• Though Russell came back more quickly than expected, it was a lot tougher than even the future Hall of Famer thought it would be.
So now the talk is underway: Will Wilson stay in Seattle, or will he go elsewhere?
I have no inside information, but I have experience with Seahawk quarterbacks. My first training camp covering the Seahawks as a reporter was in 1980 at Cheney, Wash., on the campus of Eastern Washington. Jim Zorn was the starting QB and the coach was Jack Patera. In the 42 years since, I have seen every Seattle quarterback play and practice. I have had conversations with every Seahawks coach from Patera to Pete Carroll.
The list of Seahawks quarterbacks is long and impressive, but Russell Wilson is at the top of the list. It isn't even close.
My first look at Wilson in person was in Camp Randall Stadium at Madison, Wis., on Sept.10, 2011. Oregon State faced Wisconsin and lost 35-0. Wilson, who had transferred to the Badgers after three seasons at North Carolina State, was really impressive.
Trevor Cramer, sports information director for OSU women’s basketball and Ron Callan
His exploits on the field through 10 seasons with Seattle are remarkable. At age 33, he is in the prime of his career. The way he keeps himself in shape, his potential longevity is pretty darn good.
So why all of this talk that he may be gone?
I listened to Carroll on his Monday morning weekly show on 710 KIRO with Mike Salk. Salk, asked the right question at the right time. What about Wilson’s future with the Seahawks?
Pete didn't hold back, saying there are some members of the media with an agenda, whether it is to get readers for their newspaper or hits on their website. I totally agree.
Russell says he wants to stay in Seattle, but it’s not a given that he will return next season. He still has two years left on a four-year, $140-million contract extension signed with the Seahawks in 2019.
Can you imagine watching Wilson playing for the Steelers or Panthers? For me, that would be painful.
I have worked for the Seahawks since 2002. I sit in the NFL stats booth and relay the official results on each play to members of the media who are watching from the press box.
As part of my role, I watch three hours of warm-ups leading up to each game. During that time, Wilson puts on what amounts to a clinic in how to prepare for his job.
Chuck Knox, one of the great Seahawk coaches ever, told me many times the "willingness to prepare" is the key to winning in the NFL. Wilson takes his version of that to an incredible level. During the time he was out this season with the finger injury, he still came out and went through a workout prior to each game that included scenarios of different situations on a potential drive. I have never seen that before.
Letting Wilson go would be a setback for the Seahawks. He is not only a special player, but a special human being. Watch every move he makes Sunday against the Cardinals. Then tell me if he should go somewhere else and haunt the Seahawks or stay and get them back to a Super Bowl. I can't wait for your responses!
As for Carroll — should he move on or be replaced?
To me, the long-time Seahawks coach is the epitome of the adage, “70 is the new 60.”
He might be the most vibrant and intense coach working in the NFL right now despite what some people believe is his "advanced age.”
The 2021 season has been the worst in the win/loss column for Pete since 2011, when the Seahawks had their last previous losing season. Since then, they had eight double-digit winning seasons.
But now with the team struggling, some social-media honks are restless and quick to say “blow it up.” I would say as long as Carroll and Wilson remain in tandem, the Seahawks have a chance to get back to the Promised Land. He was optimistic during that radio show Monday that they can improve in ’22.
It’s strange to see Seattle on the outside looking in at the playoffs, but to me, it’s an aberration.
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