Tag: Mike Holmgren

Mike Holmgren says Seahawks should hire an offensive coach

Yesterday Mike Holmgren told KJR radio that the team should hire an offensive coach.

All of the most-credentialed head coaches in this cycle seem to be defense-first guys. There’s Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Mike Vrabel at the top. Meanwhile, on offfense just about all of the candidates do not have any head-coaching experience in the NFL and consist mostly of hot young offensive coordinators.

Everybody has an opinion on who the Seahawks should hire. Peter King thinks Mike Vrabel would be the perfect option to replace Pete Carroll. However, a different former Seattle head coach thinks they should go in a different direction. Yesterday Mike Holmgren told KJR radio that the team should hire an offensive coach.

While much of the focus has been on defensive candidates due to the team’s poor performance on that side of the ball, it does make more sense in some ways to pick offense. Seattle has a tremendously-talented skill group to work with offensively and a top-10 quarterback who performed brilliantly under pressure this season. With a better playcaller this could be a top-five unit. If they can also upgrade their offensive line in pass protection they could even lead the NFL in scoring.

Among the offensive candidates the Seahawks are interviewing there’s Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Dolphins offensie coordinator Frank Smith, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

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The injustice of Super Bowl XL has not been forgotten among Seahawks fans

As the Seahawks are set to host the Steelers tomorrow, the pain still lingers for many 12s.

February 5, 2006. A date that will live in Seattle sports infamy until the end of time. The Seattle Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-10 at Ford Field in Detroit. To this day (until the Lions host a wild-card game this January), it is the only playoff game played at that venue.

Seattle’s hopes of their first Super Bowl win were dashed as the Steelers partied with their fifth Lombardi Trophy. Losing the Super Bowl is never fun under any circumstance. But this felt different. This wasn’t just the feeling of loss, but something stronger. More painful.

Robbery.

This was the prevailing emotion for 12s everywhere. The Seahawks weren’t just fighting the Steelers, they were apparently going against an officiating crew who gave every close call to Pittsburgh. In addition to the pain of knowing a long-awaited championship would once again elude the Seattle faithful, feelings of injustice also permeated the Emerald City.

If you ask older Seahawks fans, such as my father, they will tell you of two weeks of media coverage dedicated to beloved Steelers running back Jerome “The Bus” Bettis. Was this his swan song? Did the league want him to go out on top? Obviously, impossible to ever say. But questions began to spread among the 12s.

I could go into excruciating detail of every botched call the Seahawks were on the losing end of, but this video from NFL Network’s Top 10 show sums it up nicely. In the episode ranking the most controversial calls in the history of the league, the entirety of Super Bowl XL is given a spot. Says a lot if you ask me.

Fast forward to Sunday, December 31, 2023. The Seahawks will host the Steelers in their first visit to Lumen Field since the 2015 season. No one taking the field or standing on the sideline for either team was in Detroit on Feb. 5, 2006. But that won’t matter. To the 12s, the pain of a stolen Super Bowl still lingers.

Seattle vs. Pittsburgh is not a typical rivalry. These teams rarely play each other under the current scheduling format. But the 12s have not forgotten. And I’d be willing to bet the crowd will let themselves be felt once more. The Pacific Northwest has a long memory.

In the words of Mike Holmgren himself, coach of the 2005 Seahawks, during his induction to the Ring of Honor ceremony two seasons ago:

“You can be very proud of that Super Bowl (XLVIII) flag in this stadium. But I want to emphasize and I want to repeat something I said a long time ago: There should be two.” 

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Mike Holmgren on Jamal Adams: ‘Sometimes you just have to eat the money’

That includes former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.

Seahawks strong safety Jamal Adams is rapidly approaching Clay Bennett levels of infamy on the Seattle sports scene. Adams came to the Seahawks in an ill-conceived trade in July of 2020, a deal which included sending two first-round draft picks to the Jets. Later, Adams signed what was at the time the richest contract for a safety in NFL history. Then, the injuries began taking their toll. Next, Adams got even worse in coverage. Finally, Adams started taking out his frustrations on beat reporters’ wives on Twitter.

Needless to say, fans have had about enough of No. 33 and are desperate to get rid of him this coming offseason, no matter the cost. It would be a considerable one, though. No team will take on Adams’ contract so the only way out is to cut him. However, that move would come with over $20 million in dead money over the next two years.

It’s a steep price to pay to get rid of a three-time Pro Bowl defender who’s still highly-effective around the box. Some folks think it’s worth it, though. That includes former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren. Speaking on 93.3 KJR radio yesterday, Holmgren said he had to release good players that were hurting the team and sometimes you have to eat the money.

Cutting Adams should probably be high on the team’s list of priorities once the offseason begins – but it can’t end there. Writing off Adams should be part of a larger shedding process of getting rid of burdensome contracts for veterans on the back end of Seattle’s defense. While Quandre Diggs is an excellent safety, he’s had a bad year. Soon to be 31 years old, cutting Diggs would also carry a brutal dead money penalty, but it would save $11 million in cap space for the 2024 season.

The Seahawks also have to consider a total reset at linebacker, where both Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks are about to become free agents. Wagner will always be our favorite defender in franchise history, but he’s become a liability in coverage too often and re-signing him is probably not worth the investment considering his age and the team’s situation. Brooks is much younger and may be worth re-signing after his huge step forward this year – but there’s also a case for letting him walk and starting over with a couple of linebackers on rookie contracts.

Once the dead weight at linebacker and safety has been shed, the Seahawks need to shift whatever resources they have saved towards their offensive and defensive lines – which is the biggest obstacle between them and the contenders they’ve been losing to lately. Radically upgrading both sides of the line of scrimmage is a non-negotiable prerequisite for catching up with heavyweights like the 49ers, Cowboys, Ravens and Eagles.

Then again, we feel this team’s greatest problems are not on the field but rather in the booth and on the sidelines. We have a tremendous amount of respect for what Pete Caroll has accomplished and he’s still better than average at his job. That said, he’s out of his league against two much younger head coaches within his own division and the odds of returning to the Super Bowl after a 10-year layover are extremely slim. The Seahawks likely won’t get back to the top of the mountain unless they have somebody else leading them.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid reflects on career in Green Bay, relationship with Mike Holmgren

Andy Reid reflected on starting career in Green Bay and his relationship with former Packers HC Mike Holmgren.

The Kansas City Chiefs enter Week 13 on top of the AFC West but are still in a battle for the top seed in the conference. The matchup this Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers is crucial for the standings and a full-circle moment for their head coach.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid recently became the all-time winningest coach for the Chiefs, matching the same honor he had already gotten from his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid spoke with reporters about his start in Green Bay under then-head coach Mike Holmgren on Wednesday ahead of practice during his weekly press conference.

“This is corny, but he said, I’ll promise you I’m gonna hire you someday,” Reid explained. “So he did good on his promise. Well, it’s a good opportunity. I mean, I’ve worked for Mike Holmgren for seven years. And I had a hard time believing anybody did it better. And I still feel that way.

“He’s a great head football coach, a great offensive mind. So, I was very fortunate to get into that situation. I knew him from BYU, where he’s coaching the quarterbacks. Professionally, it was easy. Personally, it was tough because of the relationships I had with the Missouri staff.”

Reid’s professional career started as an assistant and coordinator in Green Bay from 1992-1998. The experience helped mold and catapult him into a legendary coaching career destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“The only time I go back is when we play there (Green Bay). But listen, it’s a lot like Kansas City in that way; they’re passionate about football. And it’s a neat environment,” said Reid. “I mean, we look forward to that challenge of going up there and playing, and our guys do, but I had a great time there, and we won a world championship, and so my experience is was top notch.”

Happy Birthday to Seahawks all-time leading rusher Shaun Alexander

Even 15 years after his departure, Alexander is still the all-time leading rusher in franchise history..

Today marks the 46th birthday of Seattle Seahawks all-time leading rusher Shaun Alexander. An inductee of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Alexander was drafted out of the University of Alabama by the Seahawks in 2000 and spent eight seasons in Seattle before finishing his NFL career with the Washington Redskins in 2009.

Alexander’s career highlights are plentiful but his 1,880 rushing yard, 27 touchdown, 2005 MVP season was undeniably his best.

 

According to Alexander’s Twitter account, seeing the return of the classic Seahawks uniforms brings back “great memories.” While usage of the term “great” doesn’t refer to a championship season for Alexander, it does indicate how strong and memorable his experiences were suiting up for the Seahawks. Even 15 years after his departure, Alexander is still the all-time leading rusher in franchise history.

In 2022, Seattle inducted Alexander into the Seahawks Ring of Honor alongside household names like quarterback Matt Hasselback, wide receiver Steve Largent and former head coach Mike Holmgren.

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Hall of Fame semifinalists include Sterling Sharpe, Mike Holmgren

Sterling Sharpe (senior category) and Mike Holmgren (coach/contributor) were each named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2024 Hall of Fame class.

Former Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe and former Packers coach Mike Holmgren were each named one of 12 semifinalists in their respective voting categories for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Sharpe, a five-time All-Pro, joined Ken Anderson, Maxie Baughan, Roger Craig, Randy Gradishar, Joe Jacoby, Albert Lewis, Steve McMichael, Eddie Meador, Art Powell, Otis Taylor and Al Wistert as the 12 finalists in the “senior” category, which is limited to players who last played no later than 1998.

Voters trimmed the “senior” category from 31 to 12 semifinalists.

Holmgren, who led the Packers to a Super Bowl title and two Super Bowl appearances, joined Tom Coughlin, Frank Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten as the 12 coaches or contributors.

Voters trimmed the “coach/contributor” category from 29 to 12.

The next step is voting for finalists. The committee will meet Aug. 15 to select one coach or contributor for final consideration, while another committe will meet Aug. 22 to select up to three from the senior category for final consideration.

Sharpe was a semifinalist last year. The 2023 class features three inductions of senior members: Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley.

Here is the Hall of Fame’s bio for both Sharpe and Holmgren:

Sharpe (1988-94)

 Sharpe made five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro teams during his seven-year career with the Green Bay Packers cut short by injury. His 18 touchdown receptions in his final season is still good for third best in league history. Career totals include 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns.

Holmgren (1992-2008)

Head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992-98 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999-2008. Overall record of 174-122 includes victory in Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers and an NFC crown in Seattle.

6 with Browns ties named Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 semifinalists

There are six with Browns connections were named as Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced their Class of 2024 semifinalists from their seniors, coaches, and media classification. This means no first-ballot candidates will be selected from this pool. We are now just three weeks away from offensive tackle Joe Thomas being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and soon others with ties to the Cleveland Browns could join him.

Of the list of semifinalists released, there were six players, coaches, and an owner who the city of Cleveland has disdain for to make the cut. Here is the complete list of individuals with ties to the Browns who are Class of 2024 semifinalists.

Seattle Snow Day: Remembering the last two snow games for the Seahawks

Both snow games heralded the closing of specific eras in Seahawks history. Jack Frost just might be a harbinger for seismic changes in Seattle. 

It may still be winter, but snow in late February isn’t exactly usual weather for Seattle. As the Emerald City enjoys a fresh white coat, perhaps it is time to think back upon the last two snow games the Seahawks played. After all, aren’t we missing football already?

Many fans will remember the latest, which was a Week 16 home showdown with the lowly Chicago Bears in 2021. Seattle’s season was mostly derailed by an injury to then-quarterback Russell Wilson’s throwing hand, but they still had a mathematical shot at the playoffs. Chicago was supposed to an easy victory for a Seahawks team looking to stay alive, unfortunately it was the Bears who put Seattle on ice.

The Seahawks held a 17-7 halftime lead and a 24-14 lead going into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles – making his only start for Chicago – engineered an 80-yard game-winning drive, with a touchdown pass to former Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham. The Bears eliminated the Seahawks from playoff contention with a 25-24 win.

Life in the NFL is cyclical. While the 2021 Seahawks had their season effectively ended by a bad Chicago team, in 2008 it was a bad Seattle team that helped freeze out a decent New York Jets squad.

The 3-11 Seahawks hosted the 9-5 Jets who still had a shot to win their division. Ultimately, New York quarterback Brett Favre was cold all game, throwing two interceptions, and being outdueled by Seneca Wallace – yes, this really happened – in a 13-3 Seattle victory.

Interestingly, both snow games heralded the closing of specific eras in Seahawks history. The 13-3 win was Mike Holmgren’s final victory as Seattle’s head coach, and he got to do so in front of the 12th Man. As for the 2021 loss to the Bears, it was perhaps the final straw to break the proverbial camel’s back in the ongoing Russell Wilson drama at the time.

Wilson took an unnecessary 13-yard sack in the fourth quarter which led to a more difficult field goal attempt, resulting in a miss by kicker Jason Myers. Was it the play that ended the game? No, but with a 24-14 lead, an extra three points would’ve been crucial, especially since Seattle lost by one.

What is notable about this sack in particular is how Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll publicly differed about it afterwards. ESPN’s Brady Henderson detailed this in his write up about the divorce between Wilson and the Seahawks, and how some in the organization viewed the sack as an example of his decline as a player.

So the next time there is a rare snow day for the Seahawks at Lumen Field, keep your eyes open. Jack Frost just might be a harbinger for seismic changes in Seattle.

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Mike Holmgren says DK Metcalf’s maturity level needs to change

Former head coach Mike Holmgren thinks the Seahawks can get more out of him if he changed his maturity level.

DK Metcalf is the most talented player on the Seahawks’ roster. That much has been made clear by what he’s accomplished his first four seasons in the NFL.

Some people think Metcalf needs to grow up a bit, though. Former head coach Mike Holmgren thinks the Seahawks can get more out of him if he changed his maturity level. Here’s what Holmgren said on 933 KJR:

During the regular season Metcalf posted 90 catches, 1,048 yards and scored six touchdowns. However, he’s also gotten into a few tiffs with opponents, most recently Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Metcalf was lucky not to get flagged for that particular taunt, but he has drawn several penalties for similar incidents – including a personal foul for head-butting Ramsey back in December.

As for the team, it seems they’re willing to live with it. Coach Pete Carroll told reporters earlier this season that he wants Metcalf to be himself.

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Shaun Alexander to be inducted in Seahawks Ring of Honor

Alexander will officially be honored during Seattle’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals on October 16.

The Seattle Seahawks will be taking time to honor another one of their legendary players during the 2022 season. On Thursday it was announced that running back Shaun Alexander would become the newest member inducted to the Seahawks Ring of Honor.

Alexander will officially be honored during Seattle’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals on October 16.

Last season the Seahawks inducted Matt Hasselbeck and Mike Holmgren into the Ring of Honor. It is only fitting for Alexander to join his former quarterback and head coach a year later.

While the Pete Carroll/Legion of Boom era of the Seahawks brought the franchise to the championship mountaintop, it should not be forgotten how formidable the early-2000’s Seahawks were. Behind the legs of Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks won the NFC West four times and made five total trips to the playoffs.

Of course, the crowning achievement during Alexander’s tenure was capturing the League MVP award in 2005 for his sublime season. Alexander rushed for 1,880 yards and set a then-NFL record with 27 rushing touchdowns.

Alexander was only the second running back the Seahawks ever spent a first round draft selection on, and he rewarded the organization handsomely. During his tenure, ranging from 2000-2007, Alexander scored 100 career touchdowns. He joins Steve Largent as the only members of the organization to accomplish such a feat.

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