By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

John Schneider had the courage to make the moves that have Seahawks playing in the SuperBowl.

Just two years removed from parting ways with the franchise’s winningest and longest-tenured head coach, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl. Give credit to Seahawks General Manager and  President of Football Operations John Schneider for having the courage to cut bait with former head coach Pete Carroll. A decision that served was a marker for the Seahawks franchise

MARRED IN MEDIOCRITTY

Carroll and Schneider were a classic dynamic duo that the proverbial good run together. Under the Schneider and Carroll regime (2010-2023), the Seahawks were an even 500 in Super Bowls.   In 2013, the pair won their first Super Bowl XLVIII and the following year suffered a heartbreaking loss  to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. The loss left a lifelong scar. The Seahawks continued to win but never made it back to the SuperBowl. The scar grew with each disappointing, failed attempt to reach the Super Bowl.

In their 14 years together, Schneider and  Carroll won two of seven NFC Championship games and had 10 playoff appearances.  A record most franchises would cherish to have.  The Seahawks were not most franchises and Schneider felt more could be done. In his last three years with the Seahawks, Carroll went 7-10 in 2021 and followed that up with two consecutive 9-8 seasons. Needless to say, Carroll and Schneider had a difference of opinion as to which direction the franchise was headed.

 Schneider and Seahawks Chair Jody Allen were of one accord, and Carroll was relieved of his coaching duties and elevated to an evolving role in the franchise on January 10th 2024.

At the time Carroll said ,“that he had competed hard to stay on as the head coach  and later said it was John’s turn when he reflected on the  move .” The Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald on January 24th of the same year.

BUILDING OF  A NEW CULTURE

For many, the move to hire Macdonald looked like a franchise rebuild. It was anything but that. Schneider felt he had some of the pieces in place for the team to compete immdediately.

What was missing was a like-minded thinker, not in always agreeing, but having the fortitude to hold a contrasting opinion and be able to come back to the agreed-upon vision.

“ With Mike, it’s this really clear, thoughtful, intense, intelligent messaging, and then when you sit down with somebody, it’s okay, how can I see myself partnering up with this person. We did it in the same manner that Pete and I did. All right, can we sit down and be simpatico and are we going to be able to work through our ugly times together, because there’s going to be a lot of them,”  said Schneider during   Thursday  press conference.

 “That was what was very clear about Mike. Exceeded expectations? I think that’s hard to gauge because you’re so into the moment every single day. It’s hard. It’s like the man-in-the-arena thing. We’re not able to step back like everybody else is and view. You’re just constantly going. It seems like yesterday that he just walked through the door and said hi to everybody in the building.”

What was missing was a like-minded thinker, not in always agreeing, but having the fortitude to hold a contrasting opinion and be able to come back to the agreed-upon vision.

THOUGHTFUL AND GRACIOUS

While he gives all of the accolades to the staff, family, and the Lord as a self-professed Catholic  it is Schneider who has been the constant to the Seahawks winning ways.

“Super blessed to be able to raise our boys here, Ben and Jack, and everything Traci has done for the autism community. It’s a total blessing. I read this really cool article the other day about culture is an artifact of relationships. Is it that hard to just treat people the right way, work your ass off and do it the way you want to do it. We’ve been blessed to be allowed to do it the way we want to do it, and that’s Paul Allen and Jody.”

SHREWD OFF-FIELD MOVES

Schneider was named the Executive of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America for 2025. This is the first time Schneider has earned the award since its inception in  1993. The award is given to the Executive who has made a dramatic impact on his franchise .Schneider’s leadership and attention to detail were evident not only in hiring Macdonald but also in the players he drafted over the last several years.

Since the 2023 draft, Schneider drafted Devon Witherspoon  ( 2025 PFWA All-NFC selection, wide receiver Jason Smith-Njigba ( PFWA Offensive Player of the  Year and an  All-NFL and All- NFC Choice) 2025 rookie draft picks  Nick Emmanwori and guard Gray Zabel were selected to the PFWA’s All-rookie team.

Free agent acquisitions in the same time period included trading for  Leonard Williams in 2023, who  was named All- Pro this year, and Rashid Shaeed this year. Shaheed was named to the PFWA’s 2025 All- NFC tam as a punt returner.

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