Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll took a few minutes out of his Wednesday schedule to speak to Bay Area media via a conference call. Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers will be the first reunion between Carroll and former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman since the two parted ways.
The Seahawks released Sherman on March 9 after the All-Pro cornerback suffered a ruptured Achilles four months earlier. The 49ers signed him to a three-year deal the next day.
Carroll on how the relationship with Sherman ended:
"We had a great time together. We went through so much and so much growth, challenges, victories, and frustrations. We went through a ton of stuff together. I really cherish the time that Sherm was here. I really enjoyed working with him. He's such a bright person, and such a great competitor, and an extraordinary performer. It was really a great time.
"When we got down to near the time when we were parting, we were very straight up about what was going on, had meetings about the challenges, and the expectations, and really mentoring all the way throughout. I felt like we had completed our time together in a sense. It has been really [positive] and fun. I really cherish it.
"We haven't talked a lot since he's been gone. Of course, I always keep an eye on him, what he's doing, how he's doing, and all that kind of stuff. Really fired up that he made his recovery so well and got back to playing so soon. It was a remarkable turn for him.
"I have nothing but really good memories of all of it. It was challenging at times, what we went through together, but it was really fun."
Does Sherman look like the same player or has he made adjustments to compensate for age and wear and tear?
"He has bounced back, and his numbers prove it in terms of the targets and wins and all that. He's having a very successful season. Every year you adapt, and Richard is a brilliant football player. He's always been a guy that we would always work together with the little things that we would grow with year to year to try to stay ahead of it. He's continued to do that, and I think he's been very successful this season."
What are the challenges for a young cornerback like Ahkello Witherspoon to play across from Sherman?
"He's worn a lot of dudes out on the other side. You guys don't know this, probably, but if you went back to the old days with the Niners when Jimmy Johnson was there and how many guys he wore out — the great example was Kermit Alexander — it's a good history lesson for you guys who don't know it. Jimmy Johnson was a great player that wore guys out on the other side because nobody would try him.
"Look at the targets right now on Richard's side and look at the targets on whoever is on the other side. There was a number of corners that played for us in the years he was here. He's just been that dominant of a player."
