Seahawks “Just Feel Like We’re Getting Started” & Other Takeaways From Pete Carroll End-Of-Season Press Conference 

Losing to a division rival in the playoffs is never a fun experience for a football team, but the Seahawks won’t let Saturday’s loss to the 49ers deter them from looking ahead to what should be a very bright future. After exceeding external expectations to win nine games and reach the playoffs, the Seahawks believe they laid the foundation for a lot of success next year and beyond, especially with last year’s draft class making such big contributions, and with so much draft capital at their disposal this offseason, including the No. 5 overall pick and four picks in the first two rounds.

“Coming out of this building yesterday with all these guys and the meetings that we had, and all of the opportunities to connect with guys, this is this is a new place for us,” Carroll said. “Really, this is a different feeling After losing the last game, which is always the curse in the league, it has its way of kind of manifesting, and we’ve been through all of that. Our guy just feel like we’re getting started. This is what it feels like, and they’re excited about it, they’re encouraged about it. The coaches feel like that, personnel feels like that, fueled by the big transition we made last year and all of the elements that come along with that, it’s factored in, we can feel it. Going into the draft, we can feel it, there’s a momentum about it, and hopefully we’ll be able to cash in. Also, last year’s draft being so effective for us, the hopes are really high that we can tag on to that one and keep building.

The Seahawks of course wanted their season to continue, and believed they could get that done, especially when they led the 49ers by a point at halftime and trailed by only six points heading into the fourth quarter. But despite that game getting away from them in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks won’t let that one loss discourage them going into an offseason full of promise.

“Nine-and-eight and losing the last game here in the playoffs, being in the last game at halftime—we were ready to go win the game, and we just couldn’t get quite get together in the fourth quarter, but it’s 23-17 at the end of three (quarters), and we had all of the thoughts and focus that it was going to turn our way, and we didn’t get that done,” Carroll said. “But that’s not enough to knock us off the mentality of it all.”