NFL owners are notoriously sensitive to embarrassment. Nothing like a few billion dollars to make folks squeamish about appearing bad in the public eye.
Which is why the Seattle Seahawks, en route to their second Super Bowl victory, ended up leaving a slew of job openings in their wake. This piece began as a thank you letter to the Minnesota Vikings and ended up with the realization that the Seahawks – through no fault of their own besides sheer competence – inadvertently did a number on the NFL landscape
this season.
Here’s the rundown of casualties.
Minnesota Vikings – General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Adofo-Mensah will enjoy the eternal branding of being the Guy That Didn’t Keep Sam Darnold. It’s almost all anyone could talk about this season whenever Seattle did make its way into the news. The hindsight of “why didn’t the Vikings try to keep Darnold” was evidently too much, and changes were made.
Las Vegas Raiders – Pete Carroll
For risking it on Geno Smith, who also appears to be heading towards a job loss of his own. This one is not for gloating. This is a bummer. Carroll was fired for the second time in two seasons in the same year his former Seahawks won the whole thing. I know he’s happy for them, but that’s gotta suck. In the end, he was the one (or only?) that was most willing to give up capital for Smith, and it enabled John Schneider to pivot marvelously.
Los Angeles Rams – special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn
Rarely is a mid-season move as obviously retribution as this one.
This one is for gloating. Get owned, any unit on the Rams, and thanks for the Special Teams fumble in the NFC Championship Game, too.
Bonus: Linebacker Ernest Jones IV. Thank you for whatever it was you mistakenly saw in him two years ago to result in trading him for a late pick.
Bonus: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Again, gratitude.
Bonus: The use of Derion Kendrick in the victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Tomlin
Presumably he was involved, or aware at minimum, in the acquisition of DK Metcalf. The second crucial move this offseason that allowed Seattle to pivot and find themselves in a supremely favorable cap situation now. By end of season Metcalf had found himself in trouble yet again, and had not single-handedly saved the Pittsburgh offense. The situation has been so mediocre for so long that, with a 42-year old quarterback and worsening defense, Tomlin shockingly hung it up.
San Francisco 49ers – The hospitality of their stadium in a league-clinching victory, twice
Still cackling at the fact that the Seahawks got to do champagne, cigars, banner-hoisting, baby-kissing, and whatever else in the Levi’s Stadium locker room twice. What a trip.
Bonus: The apparent salvation of Sam Darnold.
It’s also worth noting that multiple coaches have left the 49ers, most notably Robert Saleh and Brian Fleury, leaving at least the hint of awareness that San Francisco is third in the division right now.
