NFL teams
Terry Blount, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Pete Carroll surprised by penalty

NFL, Seattle Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll expressed disappointment and surprise Wednesday about the penalty the NFL issued the team Tuesday for violating the offseason no-contact rule in a minicamp practice when a fight occurred between cornerback Richard Sherman and wide receiver Phil Bates.

"I'm really disappointed," Carroll said Wednesday after practice. "I don't want to be doing things wrong. I want to do things right and I'd like to show exactly how to do it. We're trying to do things the best you can possibly do it. Unfortunately, this decision makes it look otherwise."

The Seahawks will lose two days of mandatory veteran's minicamp in 2015, as ruled by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Carroll also was fined was at least $100,000 and the Seahawks were docked over $200,000 because of excessive contact between players in the June 18 minicamp practice, sources told senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

The Seahawks also were fined for violating the no-contact rules in the 2012 offseason, but Carroll thought the team was doing everything right the past two years.

"The first year [2012] they had some questions with how we worked," Carroll said of the league office. "And then we had a great year last year. Halfway through camp, we got a really good report about how we were working, so we stayed with it. We took from last year and tried to do things better with the same tone and same thought, but [the NFL] decided otherwise when they looked at the film."

The league requested video of the June 18 practice when the fight happened. Several plays before the fight had some intense action.

"In our minicamp there was an incident they took note to," Carroll said. "But I go back to a year ago and halfway through camp when they observed what was going on and they said everything was just fine, so we kept going. I was really pleased with that, but unfortunately it went the other way at minicamp."

Carroll was asked if he felt like a victim, or if the league was singling them out.

"I don't feel like the victim," he said. "I don't at all. I think we practice in a way that draws attention, and we have for a long time.

"You know, we're always competing here. That's how we do this. We're trying to do things exactly right. We're not trying to push it over the top."

^ Back to Top ^