Cliff Avril chides Seahawks fans for wanting change after ‘one bad season out of 10’
The Seattle Seahawks are coming to the end of an uncharacteristic poor season. At 5-10, they’re about to post their first last-place finish in their own division in 25 years and their first losing record in a decade. Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears made it official that this team won’t be making the playoffs – only the second time during the Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era.
What comes next is the subject of intense debate and virtually no consensus whatsoever when it comes to the fanbase. Some want to see wholesale changes, including firing Carroll, trading Wilson and starting over with a remade nucleus next season.
Count former Seattle defensive end Cliff Avril among those who think that would be a bad idea. Avril says real fans wouldn’t be asking for change after what he calls “one bad season out of 10.”
I’m gonna say this once more… if you’re a real fan you don’t ask for change after one bad season out of 10! #JUSTMYTHOUGHTS
— Cliff Avril (@cliffavril) December 30, 2021
Avril has a point – the sustained success this franchise has achieved in recent years is unmatched with only one exception – and that exception might be the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Carroll deserves a hefty portion of the credit for keeping this team competitive as long as he has, even if a great deal of it is thanks to Wilson’s unique heroics.
All that being said, it’s obvious that Carroll has taken this team as far as it’s going to get. One can point to a very specific point in place and time when the peak occurred – somewhear near the accursed goal line down in Arizona.
Since that fateful slant Seattle has not returned to the NFC Championship Game and they’ve only won one playoff game in the last five years.
Carroll will be a worthy member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day and we have nothing but the highest respect for what he’s achieved at this level. The game evolves constantly though and to keep pace the Seahawks need to try something different.
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