Did Seahawks Make Wrong Move Firing Brian Schottenheimer? - Locked On Podcast

Set to face off against their former play caller in Dallas on Thursday night, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks may have some remorse about cutting ties with Brian Schottenheimer after the 2020 season.

Corbin K. Smith | Nov 29, 2023

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Seattle Seahawks

When the Seattle Seahawks hit the road to face the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, it will be a reunion of sorts for coach Pete Carroll as he competes against a pair of former assistants on his staff, including offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

After a quick playoff exit in 2020, despite Schottenheimer coaching a top-eight scoring offense for the third consecutive season, Carroll opted to part ways with the veteran play caller due to "philosophical differences." To replace him, he went outside the box hiring Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron, who had never been an offensive coordinator beyond the high school level.

Since that fateful decision, Schottenheimer has re-emerged as one of the most respected offensive coordinators and quarterback gurus in the NFL orchestrating Dallas' top-ranked scoring offense, bringing out the best in Dak Prescott. Meanwhile, after a solid 2022 season, Waldron's offense has regressed substantially this season, particularly struggling to score points in the second half of games.

Three years after Seattle decided to fire Schottenheimer, hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang compare how Waldron has performed in comparison to his predecessor and discuss whether or not Carroll may have regrets about the decision made to change play callers after the 2020 season.

Heading into Thursday's critical road game at AT&T Stadium, Smith and Rang also break down six key matchups to watch as the Seahawks and Cowboys vie for improved playoff positioning, including tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas dealing with superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence.

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Published Nov 29, 2023

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.