Before the Seattle Seahawks’ Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons, coach Pete Carroll took time to reflect on the offseason, the preseason that wasn’t and the challenges of preparing for the regular season under such unprecedented circumstances.
“I’ve handled it in true competitor fashion, looking at this as a challenge to figure out, create mentality and mode and procedure that would fit with the protocols, competing on every level and everything we could think of,” Carroll said Friday on the Pete Carroll Show on KIRO Radio. “Since months ago, months and months ago, since we realized that this was happening, [we’ve been] studying and learning and trying to get up to speed with what we need to know, and talking to everybody.”
This offseason was racked with concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, including several positive cases, which forced the NFL to require daily testing of their players. Carroll emphasized that he and his team soaked up as much information as they could to protect themselves and those close to them.
“We have tried to be proactive as possible, as creative as possible, as well informed as possible, and then as aggressive as possible also, in an effort to protect our guys, really,” Carroll said. “And all of the families and the coaches and everybody that’s involved, all of our children, everybody.”
Taking this situation seriously evidently paid off, as the Seahawks have had all of their players test negative for the coronavirus and are now ready to go for Week 1.
“Fortunately, we’ve made it through camp and we’ve had all negative tests throughout the whole process, and our guys have really been willing to make the sacrifices to how to figure this stuff out and to be part of it, and we’ve developed a real conscience about it, and that’s what it takes to get this done,” Carroll said.
“It just takes such discipline, and you can’t ignore the reality of it or you’re gonna pass the virus around.”
The Seahawks will play the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 10:00 a.m. PT. Here’s a look at Seattle’s inactives for Sunday.
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