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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told Scouting Combine this month that the team had no intention of trading quarterback Russell Wilson, but a week later they agreed to trade him to the Broncos.
The exchange became official on Wednesday, and Wilson said at a press conference in Denver that it was a “mutual” decision to continue the exchange between him and his former team. However, a message from the Seahawks announcing the deal gave a different message.
Seahawks chairman Jody Allen said in a statement that “Russell has made it clear he wants this change” and that she “looks forward to welcoming our new players and everyone who will be fully engaged.” General manager John Schneider said it “became apparent that Russell was interested in playing elsewhere” as the team discussed future plans with him, and Carroll sent a similar message.
“This has always been a challenging time of the year where we have consistently taken a competitive approach to getting better as a team,” Carroll said in a statement. “As Jodi stated, Russ’ desire to do something new gave the organization the opportunity to compete in many ways. He has always been a top competitor whose leadership and consistency helped shape our culture. Our franchise has won many games and we will always be grateful for exciting moments and incredible records.”
Broncos general manager George Paton said in a press conference on Wednesday that “a month of negotiations” preceded the trade deal, so the Seahawks were open to the trade, although Carroll said they weren’t going to do it in the offseason. Whatever shenanigans are going on in Seattle, the end result is that both they and the Broncos are entering a new era in 2022.