Seattle Seahawks’ Shane Waldron says there is’ philosophical alignment ‘with Pete Carroll

SEATTLE – At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron looked a lot like the head coach who had just hired him.

He said his offensive approach begins with the belief that “it’s all about the ball,” a phrase from Pete Carroll that underscores the importance of winning the sales battle. He made several mentions of his desire for offensive balance and one of playing complementary football, two other Carroll favorites.

It’s no wonder the Seahawks chose Waldron to replace Brian Schottenheimer, whose clash with Carroll led the team to announce last month that he would not return after three seasons due to “philosophical differences.”

“It was really, in my opinion, what was so natural about the interview process is that there was so much philosophical alignment between him and me,” said Waldron. “I mentioned this to him: It wasn’t like an interview where you try to sell yourself to win the job in any sales pitch. It was a conversation, and it was a football discussion that had so many things. in alignment it felt like a natural progression as we got to know each other and talk about things. So a lot of those things were naturally aligned, and that’s where I think I felt. really good in the process. “

As much as Carroll and Waldron found themselves on the same page when talking by phone, FaceTime, and Zoom over the course of several days, Carroll didn’t come to his decision on his own. Quarterback Russell Wilson made it clear he wanted to be involved in the hiring process – and he was. A source told ESPN that Waldron was among the candidates Wilson liked the most during the two-week search and that the quarterback was excited about the hire.

Jake Heaps, Wilson’s quarterback personal trainer and 710 ESPN Seattle co-host, called Waldron the “perfect mesh” of what Carroll and Wilson want in their new CO.

“I was very fortunate to know him as a person,” Waldron said of his conversations with Wilson both during the interview process and since. “[We] talked a lot about our families and getting to know each other more as people because I think football is a part of it, it’s going to be a big part of it when the time is right, but our conversations really focused on just who we are are as people because you are in a room with guys for many hours each day when the season is unfolding. … He seems to have this never-ending desire to be the best, to be the best that he can be, so I think when we started talking about these things, that’s where we had some really fun conversations. “

Waldron’s coaching career has included stints at Notre Dame and UMass, a year in UFL and NFL jobs with the New England Patriots and the Washington football team before his four-year run with the Los Angeles Rams. He said he took things at every save to build an offensive philosophy centered on three things: ball protection, fundamentals and balance.

“I think the great part of Russell Wilson in this system is that he has the ability to do a lot of different things, and just because I say it’s a balanced attack doesn’t mean it’s an attack. conservative, ”he told me. “I never want to be confused.”

What wasn’t clear in Waldron’s first comments to the Seattle area reports was how well the Seahawks’ offense will be what it brings compared to what they were already doing.

“I have a set of core beliefs that I’m going to stick to, but we’re going to build this thing together,” he said. “I think the only thing with Russell and with the rest of the players who are on this team, they have a great base and they’ve won a lot of football games together, so will there be parts of things that come together? will continue? Absolutely., because they’ve done great things in the past. “

Waldron called Sean McVay a friend and mentor while saying the Rams head coach was instrumental in helping him get to where he is. Waldron has spent the past three seasons as the passing game coordinator in Los Angeles and has said he wears a variety of hats in that role, including being responsible for certain situational aspects of the games, helping with game planning and being on the safe side. helmets with McVay. Waldron also held the QB Coach title in 2019.

One thing he didn’t do: call the games. McVay carried out these tasks with the Rams. Waldron didn’t do it in college or in the NFL, at least not in an actual game.

“It’s a big challenge, and it’s a challenge that I have prepared my whole life,” he said. “So I think that’s one of those things that I’m ready to start with and excited to attack this opportunity. I learned a lot from Sean along the way. With this playing experience, he allowed me to do it in different contexts, be it preseason, scrums, or practice, so I played a bit that way knowing that obviously it’s not the real deal and there will be this opportunity here.

“I’m a guy who likes to prepare. I want to be organized, I want to have this really cohesive approach, and in my mind, this preparation started a long time ago and I can’t wait to have this chance to go from forward. and do it. “

Waldron takes an assistant from Los Angeles with him to Andy Dickerson, who will be the Seattle run-game coordinator. That position was vacant, with Brennan Carroll leaving the Seattle staff to be the University of Arizona offensive coordinator. Waldron said when Carroll asked him if he wanted to bring someone with him who could help him transition, his first thought was Dickerson, who spent nine seasons as an assistant offensive line coach. of the Rams. He and Waldron were college teammates at Tufts University.