Pete Carroll gets hormonal… again

It’s rather odd to hear an NFL coach describe himself as hormonal. It’s even stranger to have it happen twice.

But wouldn’t you know it, Carroll was blaming his hormones for a questionable coaching decision for the second time in a year. During Sunday’s loss in Detroit, Carroll decided to challenge a 9-yard Titus Young catch that had given the Lions a first down on third-and-8. Problem was, the Lions had declined holding call on Brandon Browner, so even if Young hadn’t made the catch, Detroit would have picked up the first down. And, by the way, Young did catch the ball, which made the decision to challenge look even worse.

“Just a total blunder,” Carroll admitted Monday. “It was a blunder, I screwed it up.”

Carroll explained that he got so caught up in the moment when his coaches in the box told him it wasn’t a catch that he forgot the situation.

“They were starting to come to the line of scrimmage, and I hear our guys upstairs, they see the replay, and they’re like, ‘He dropped it, he dropped it, he dropped it,’ and I looked and there’s a few seconds left before they’re going to snap, and the only thing I thought was I’ve got to get this flag out right now,” Carroll said. “I couldn’t get it out of my pocket, but I was yelling, ‘Red flag, red flag.” And then as soon as I got it out, I went, ‘Oh my goodness, what happened?’ It was just a flash of hormonal upsurge or something. A competitive moment that I really regret.”

Ah yes, the old “hormonal upsurge” excuse. It turned out that decision didn’t hurt the Seahawks any, because they didn’t need that time out (unless you want to argue they would have used it to give the defense a break late in the game). And what’s funny is that Carroll, almost exactly a year ago, used a similar explanation after last year’s loss to Cincinnati. In that game, Carroll elected to go for it on fourth down late in the first half rather than kick a field goal, and while Marshawn Lynch got the first down, time expired without Seattle getting off a field-goal attempt.

Following that game, Carroll explained, “We learned about what happens when a coach gets hormonal and tries to jam it down their frickin’ throat for the touchdown.”

Talk to us

More in Sports

The Everett Elite Flag Football 14-under team practices Sunday morning at Harbour Pointe Middle School in Mukilteo, Washington on January 16, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Community roundup: 3 Jackson grads to D-I baseball tournament

Plus, Jayden White is headed back to the NCAA track and field nationals, the Silvertips sign their first-round picks and more.

X
Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for May 22-28

The Athlete of the Week nominees for May 22-28 Voting closes at… Continue reading

Washington's Sami Reynolds runs the bases against McNeese during an NCAA softball game on Saturday, May 20, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Local softball stars Reynolds, Mahler set for WCWS

Washington’s Sami Reynolds (Snohomish) and Stanford’s River Mahler (Monroe) each play prominent roles on their Pac-12 teams.

The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh smiles as a teammate throws bubblegum at him during an interview after Raleigh hit a single to drive in the winning run against the Yankees during the 10th inning of a game Wednesday in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Raleigh’s RBI single in 10th gives M’s 1-0 win over Yankees

George Kirby pitches one of the best games of his young career with eight shutout innings in Seattle’s 1-0 win.

X
AquaSox top Hops on wild pitch in 11th inning

Everett edges Hillsboro 3-2 in a game with strong pitching on both sides.

Alberto Rodriguez.
Rodriguez puts on power display, leads AquaSox to series win

The 22-year-old outfielder mashed 11 extra-base hits, including six home runs, as Everett took five of seven from Eugene.

Daniel Kim, left, and Ben Borgida, right, chat between holes during the Snohomish County Amateur golf tournament at the Everett Golf and Country Club in Everett, Washington on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Kim soars to 4-shot win in 92nd Snohomish County Amateur

The WSU freshman and Kamiak graduate’s 12-under final total was the historic tournament’s lowest since at least 2010.

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge gestures after hitting a solo home-run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 30, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)
Judge strikes again, Mariners lose to Yankees

Seattle falls 10-2 for a second consecutive lopsided loss.

Cooper Cummings from the United States celebrates after winning a men's downhill during the Cheese Rolling contest at Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, Monday May 29, 2023. The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event where participants race down the 200-yard (180 m) long hill chasing a wheel of double gloucester cheese. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arlington High School grad is the big cheese after winning UK race

Cooper Cummings, who grew up in Lake Stevens, defeated a world record-holder in Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake.

Most Read