KJ Wright, Former NFL Linebacker

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No long-term commitments or contracts. That's stamps.com code PROGRAM. All righty, rocking and rolling our number two of our radio program. That's right, it is the Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. Surprising news and the big news of the day is Pete Carroll is out as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and he's being moved to an advisory role and we'll see what happens with the future of now the former Seattle Seahawks legendary head coach. Let's go out to the guest line, talk to one of his former players KJ Wright who is of course now the host of his very own podcast called KJ All Day.

You can listen and watch on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and more. You can also hear him on Seattle's ESPN 710 AM the KJ Wright show. KJ, always great to have you on. Appreciate the time and how you been?

Been good, been good. It is a very sad day here in Seattle. I'm heartbroken to see what's happening to coach Carroll. We're talking 14 years over 100 wins Super Bowl that he brought to this city. What he's meant for me personally as a football player and as a man, just on the guys legendary. I know he's legendary. He don't want me out here from the sorry form, but I have to give him his flowers. He means the world to me. He means the world to my teammate to this city and job well done coach.

You can hang your head high as you did a phenomenal job leading this organization for the past 14 years. When you saw the news today, were you shocked that he's no longer going to be the head football coach of this team? You heard, you heard the chatter. You heard the chatter throughout the season with a nine and eight record and back to back years.

I know he has a standard. I know this organization has a standard and to just miss the playoffs this year after making it last year. You just Jody Allen had to make a really hard decision.

She has nothing but love and respect for coach Carroll. It's just the way that this team underperformed this football season. They had to make a chance.

They had to make a change. And so it doesn't take away what he's done. But this year he didn't quite get it done with the guys and leading to the playoffs and all the things that he's accustomed to doing. And so it's just really suck to see him having to leave. But I am glad that he's there.

Well, that's the thing. Is he really staying? I know he has a contract still with the year left on his deal.

Then there's an option. And I got to think that this guy still wants to coach. So maybe another team comes calling this off season. They get a deal done with Pete Carroll. He got to stay.

Come on, come on. Let's not put that noise out there. He has got to stay.

It came out in the in the messages they put out. He's going to stay in the organization. And I know his personality very well. I know he the front office stuff like doing all that now. He is a coach at heart. He's going to be right there in the trenches. He's going to be helping with the game plan. He's going to be helping coach guys with their step kick. He's still in his prime.

I swear to you, he is still in his prime. And so I'm not quite buying the front office stuff that he's going to just do and just be behind the scenes. I do fully expect him to just still be in the nitty gritty right there in the trenches with the guys, because that is his personality.

And full disclosure, KJ, right? I disagree with this decision. You know, I basically say that he got fired as being the head coach. And now to dress it up because of what he's did for the franchise, they're moving him into this advisory role. I just, I disagree with this decision. I think it's a bad decision from the Seattle Seahawks today. Yeah, what, um, the thing is, we're talking, he's been a really long time being there for 14 years, went to the playoffs last year, didn't make it this year.

Um, I, I love the guy. I personally think he should still be the head coach, but we know how people think. We know that someone had been here for past a decade, missing the playoffs, didn't make it to the super bowl since 2013 or 2014. People just feel like, okay, it is time for a change.

We can get a new message in here. And so it's not personal that they want what's best for the organization. He doesn't take it personal. There's nothing but love at the end of the day, especially when you see that they want him to be a part of things here in Seattle. When you start to think about who's coaching this team next, who's the first name that comes to mind to replace Pete Carroll. There's only one name that I'm thinking of.

There's no other names besides Dan Quinn. He's the guy, he is the only person I want to see come here and coach the Seattle Seahawks. He understands culture. He understands team building. He knows how to hold guys accountable and you see what they're doing over there in Dallas for the past few years. The guys just, he's someone that I personally loved playing for.

We're talking about number one defense in the NFL for four straight seasons. Dan Quinn was a part of that. He's a guy that understands what the city needs. And he's familiar with obviously the coaching staff, the training staff, equipment staff. He's going to just come right in and we won't see even wanting to see a big change.

We won't see a big change in just sweeping out the room that's bringing in new pieces. So I'm a big fan of Dan Quinn as a human being and especially as a football coach. Talking to KJ Wright right now, former Seattle Seahawk legendary defensive player for them. I also think the Seahawks destination, I agree with you.

That's what I said too. I thought it was going to be Dan Quinn as the next head coach, but this is an attractive job. I don't believe Geno Smith is a long-term quarterback, but you have some good young foundational pieces on both sides of the ball.

This is an attractive job and one that no one really expected that it would become open this way with basically Pete getting forced out. Listen, there's talent all over this football team, Jackson Smith and Jigba. Defensive rookie of the year, Devin Witherspoon. You have two young tackles in Charles Cross and Abe Lucas. Draft you a quarterback. I'm all for that. Draft you a quarterback early, let Geno Smith groom him and really just take this franchise in a new direction.

And so there's no slouch. You're not coming into a bad organization expecting to win four or five games. No, this is a win now type of roster. And so do they have to make some pieces, some personnel changes with the players at some free agent guys? Absolutely.

Absolutely. You have to let some guys go bring in some guys, but I'm telling you when this football team step on the field week one is a win now roster. So KJ Wright, I was optimistic on Seattle this year. I thought they could be the third best team in the NFC behind San Francisco and Philadelphia. What went wrong with this group when you look back at the entirety of the season? Ah, just so many games that we had just right there in our hands. You started with week one versus the Rams. Who thought the Rams would be sitting here in the playoffs making the Detroit Lions?

And I just tell you this. One thing that really bothered me this football season was the lack of brother to brother accountability. When the antics started happening throughout the season, I really was looking for certain guys in the building to just, Hey, enough is enough. Let's not do this. Let's tighten this thing up.

Um, so it's a way too many distractions. It's hard being the San Francisco 49ers. It's hard being the Dallas Cowboys, but when you have your own stuff that you have to deal with within the building, it makes it dang near impossible to win on Sundays. And so, um, I just want to see a more mature football team, a team that's more disciplined, like this is not happening. And once you make a mistake, only once you make a decision, the first time that we don't like as an organization, it better not happen again. So that's why I want to see from this organization going forward, a little more discipline, uh, more maturity from the guys and just to bring in the right guys that it really just got this locker room going forward.

KJ right here with us. I know that it's always a complicated conversation when you look back at the Seattle Seahawks defensive players, when it comes to their relationship with Russell Wilson, but seeing this year play out and Russ getting benched. And I know that Sean Peyton the other day saying, Oh, he's not definitely gone, but everyone knows he's not going to be their quarterback next season. How'd you react to that entire process playing out in Denver? I was mad at Sean Payton. I thought, I thought the way that he handled it from day one, when he came on the scene, undermining your quarterback, telling them to stop kissing babies, yelling at him. Like he's a two year old kid on the sideline. Like he's not your franchise quarterback.

I just hate it. I knew that their personalities were not a match made in heaven. I'm like, these two guys are night and day. I don't know how this is going to work, but when you came on the scene day one and throughout the season, you made it crystal clear where you stood with Russell Wilson.

That's what really bothered me throughout this whole situation. And I am glad that Russ spoke up for himself in his press conference. I was like, yes, thank you. Yes, finally.

Great job. And I'm glad that he finally did that. And that's the Russell was that I want to see going forward. We can, we, I love that Russell Wilson, the fans love it. We appreciate it. It's like, Hey bro, what the heck is going on over there in your world?

How do you see things? And so we know that Russell Wilson won't be back. Russ still has a lot of ball lifting him.

He can still play at a high level that deep ball is still as beautiful as ever. And so there's plenty of things that need a quarterback of his caliber, but it is over there. It is over in a Broncos country. I know it's totally different today with Pete no longer being the head coach, but could you ever see a reunion maybe with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks? No, I won't take it that far.

I wouldn't take it that far. He, that ship has sailed next year for sure. But at the end of the day, when he retires, they're retired number three, they put them in the ring of honor. They're giving me flowers, but coming back this soon, no, it's going to be Geno Smith.

This, this football season, next football season. I know Russell Wilson is like a nine time pro baller, but the last two years it's been ugly, even though he played better this year. Do you think it'll be a hall of Famer? Because that's a conversation we have that maybe the last two years he's played himself out of the hall of fame. If the season ended today, no, but the season ended today.

I don't think so. Just like you say, the, the, the quick decline, it was a quick decline last year and he played better this year, but he has to get back in the wind column. He has to get back in the playoffs. I want to see that Russell Wilson that I'm accustomed to making, making noise in the month of January, making noise in those prime time games. You saw that he's starting to use his legs more this football season and pair them with some receivers, pair them with some guys, pair them with the right office of coordinator. I'm telling you guys, get them back with the, with the bronze Schottenheimer, that type of court, the type of coordinator that understands his skill set, not understand your Hackett, not a Sean Payton, let Russ do what he does best. You can't try to force an offense onto him.

It does not work like that. And so I want to see impaired with the right coordinator. And by all means, he has a lot left in the tank. And I do believe that next year we'll see a better Russell Wilson. When you get to the games this weekend, KJ Wright, I'm looking at the Rams.

You talked about them earlier. I know it's a tough matchup against Detroit, but they've won seven out of their last eight games. I th I think the Rams are alive this weekend and they can make some noise in the NFC. This playoff run. I have the Rams 100%.

I'd for sure have the Rams and I'm going to go to the coaching. I want to go straight to the coaching, just the impulsive decisions that I've seen Dan Campbell make throughout the year. What he did in that, that game, I think versus Cowboys, when he kept going forward versus kicking the extra point, I cannot get over that decision. I cannot get over that decision. When you're backed up, you decide to go for two because you told your guys are going to score and go for two. I just can't get past a lot of decision makings that he made.

And even playing his starters last week, we saw his big time tight end go down. Yeah. Can you go to a new spot? Yes.

No, maybe so. Such a starters, man. Come on. And so when they step on the football field, I like Matt Stafford over Jared golf. I love this Rams run game.

I love those weapons that they have with, with, with Puka. And so I got the Rams spot in the way to get out of Detroit with the one hand to make the super bowl. Do you take the Ravens or the field just coming out of the AFC?

The ratings are who or the field like everybody else? Oh, Oh no, it's, it's the Ravens. It's not even a conversation that I would love to see a chief's Ravens AFC championship.

You knock off the top dogs. I don't want to see some random AFC team. The Texans knock off the champions, knock off the big dogs.

So if you could be Patrick, my homes in prime time football, when the stakes are high, when he's healthy, when Travis Kelsey gets back to normal. And so I want to see an AFC championship with the chiefs, with the Ravens, but I got the Ravens coming out. I'll tell you though, I think Kansas city's on upset alert this weekend. And I don't trust either of these teams, the dolphins or the chiefs, but everyone's going to pick Kansas city.

Cause it's going to be freezing cold. This chief's team. They've just never found it this year. I actually, the dolphins are going to walk into our head and walk out with the victory cage. Have you seen the injury report this week with Miami dolphins? Yeah, no, it's, it's, it's backed up.

It's it's that has me scared. You lose a Chubb. You lose a Phillips. You lose the other big, you lose the other big time pass rushing number 43. I can't think of his name right now, but they have some banged up guys and a to a tongue of Aloha in negative degree weather. I don't like that.

I do not like that. You got the cheetah coming back in Tyree kill, you know, he's getting into the end zone. And he go go off. He's going to have a phenomenal day. I got him getting 200 yards, but when it comes down to the little things, this is the playoffs.

It's all about the details, the little things, right? This chief's team has a blueprint. They have a blueprint of what it takes to advance in the playoffs, how to win at home and just, they just mastered it over the years. I don't think the Miami dolphins already. All right. Two more for KJ.

Right. I know you, you finished your career with the Raiders. There's a lot of conversation about Antonio Pierce. Should he be the next head coach? What would you say in regards to that question? 1 million percent. When, when I left my last year, it was a decision with rich. Everyone remember risk.

Oh yeah. We made the playoffs that last year and you look at it. We had no business winning 10 football games at football season with all the drama that we had, with all the, the mess that we were going through, he kept us afloat.

And I look at what Pierce did this football season. These guys love him. These guys respect him, respect him. He's a former player. He understands the culture, keep this momentum going, keep, keep everything right here in house. Trust him.

He did it at a high level as a player. He has a super bowl and he did it at a high level coaching when, when all odds are stacked against him. And so hire him, don't bring in Jim Harbaugh, let Harbaugh go to the chargers. Keep Antonio Pierce in house because these guys love him.

They're going to play for him and he's going to get this Raiders culture back where it needs to be. Just going back to Pete Carroll, cause it's the biggest story of the day. We know your relationship with him and obviously it's a sad day for you, but when you look back at the decision with only being two hours old, like, are you annoyed with this decision today? Like, are you disappointed with this decision or do you understand it? I'm heartbroken.

I'm really heartbroken. And I do understand it when you look at it. I get it. I really do. Just back to back nine to seven seasons.

Yeah. The, the, the vision for this football team was to go deep into the playoffs. You made it last year. You went to the wild card. The expectation was to make some real noise this football season. And I know that there's no love loss. I know that at the end of the day, he's going to be in the ring of honor, but it's, I understand that they said it's time to go in a new direction.

We want to get younger. We want to get a new message here in the building. I totally understand it, but I love the guy. His players love him and for him to be around, it's the perfect decision for this organization. He is KJ Wright. Of course, he's the host of his very own podcast, KJ all day. You can listen and watch on Spotify, YouTube, Apple podcasts, and more.

You can also hear him on Seattle's ESPN 710 AM the KJ Wright show. Did you talk to Pete yet? I know it's only two hours old, but have you talked to your old coach? I'm going to wait till next week.

I'll wait till next week to get my guy called. Thanks so much, KJ. Appreciate you doing this on a busy day. Always a pleasure. Thank you.