Is Seattle Seahawks HC Pete Carroll on the hot seat?

Pete Carroll may be gone after this season. The Seattle Seahawks are going down a road of losses that the team has not experienced since Russell Wilson came into the picture in 2012. The Seahawks have not seen eight losses since then, but are now 3-8 and looking every bit as terrible as several other bottom-level teams in the NFL.

This begs the question of coaching and Pete Carroll's involvement in the team's downfall. The Seahawks have not necessarily been unsuccessful, but they have the playoffs to consider.

Should the Seahawks fire Pete Carroll?

Under Peter Carroll, the Seahawks have gone 148-102-1. This is nothing to look negatively at. Carroll knows what he is doing in the regular season and has set the Seahawks up for that level of success. However, the playoffs are what will factor into the question of whether or not Carroll is on the hot seat.

Carroll's playoff record with the Seahawks is 11-10. The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl under Carroll in 2013, thanks, in part, to the massive success of Russell Wilson. They would then return to the Super Bowl during the 2014 season. Again, nothing to scoff at. The Seahawks were built to continually make it to the playoffs.

Since then, however, the Seahawks have made it to the playoffs 5/7 seasons since 2015. It's important to note that Peter Carroll hasn't been able to replicate the inital success that the Seahawks had when Russell Wilson first came onto the NFL scene. A growing concern is that Carroll has been underutilizing Wilson for years.

There have been massive amounts of struggle within the organization to also protect their franchise quarterback, as the Seahawks offensive line has been atrocious for many years. This situation has made Wilson very upset, and rightfully so. This has led to tons of speculation that Wilson will seek a trade in the off-season.

Wilson has been one of the top five most sacked quarterbacks since the 2015 season, and the Seahawks have done little to rectify the situation. If Carroll is meant to play head coach and GM, then this responsibility lands squarely on his shoulders. Building an offensive line is one of the most important aspects of football, especially when the high-caliber franchise quarterback must be protected.

Wilson is a generational talent that continues to struggle because he is not being protected. That's the biggest reason for him wanting to jump ship, and the biggest reason for Carroll being in the hot seat as a head coach. Things are pointing to the Seahawks parting ways with Carroll at the end of the season, especially if he loses Russell Wilson to another team.