Seattle Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett Explains 'Culture Shock' Under New Staff

The Seattle Seahawks are still adjusting to the first coaching change in nearly a decade and a half.

Dec 10, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) stands on the field before the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Even four months after Pete Carroll's departure, the Seattle Seahawks are still adjusting to life under a new coaching staff.

Mike Macdonald and his new staff bring plenty of intrigue with them, but the Seahawks had Carroll as their leader for 14 years. Adjusting to a new leadership style after so long can take quite a bit of time, especially for the veterans on the team.

That principle applies to no one more than receiver the longest-tenured Seahawk in receiver Tyler Lockett, who is entering his 10th season with the team. During an appearance on Seattle Sports' "Bump and Stacy" earlier this week, Lockett shed light on the challenge of adjusting to the new coaching staff.

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) catches the ball for a 2 point conversion in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

“It’s definitely a culture shock,” Lockett said. “People say you can learn a new habit in like 21 days. … Imagine learning the habit for 365 days times nine years. It’s one of those things where you really have to change a lot of different stuff, but there’s a lot of good stuff that comes with change as well.

“I think the biggest thing that’s different is just the relationships and understanding the different types of coaching and the way that every coach decides to go about it with their approach is different. You just got to be able to learn that and adapt to it and learn how to find that comfort and all that different type of stuff. So obviously it’s different, but when you have spring football like this during OTAs, that’s when you kind of work through those kinks.”

Over his time in Seattle, Lockett has become an underrated star and fan favorite. He passed the 1,000-yard benchmark each season from 2019-2022, and while he lost that streak last season, he remained a key part of the offense barely missing the century mark for a fifth straight year.

The 31-year-old Lockett has been in trade rumors near constantly, but given all he's done for the franchise, fans hope he can stick around for the long haul and finish his excellent career in the Pacific Northwest.