Willie McGinest Recalls Blowing Up At Pete Carroll

Willie McGinest wasn’t really excited about Pete Carroll and his coaching style.

The linebacker was drafted under the stern eye of Bill Parcells, but went on the tutelage of Carroll after Kraft and Parcells noted a falling out and the head coach joined the New York Jets. Carroll and Parcells have different coaching methods. Parcells was more like a hard-nosed football coach, and Pete Carroll was laid back.

McGinest did not like this at all. “I don’t think guys bought into what [Carroll] was trying to do. I think guys took advantage. I had an issue with it,” he said.

The tension reached its peak after the playoff loss to the Steelers. McGinest was really upset, and did not like the way Carroll and other players got over the loss.

“It becomes personal for me. I respect Pete and what he tried to do, but a lot of guys didn’t. I remember playing Pittsburgh in the playoffs. We lost, 7-6. I’m on the bench [on the field], of course, teary-eyed, because I’m so upset and I needed some time. I hear a lot of laughing as I’m walking in [to the locker room]. I hear Pete talking, and I’m kinda in the back away from everybody. And I hear him say, ‘It’s OK. It’s alright guys. It’s OK.’ And I become furious. I stood up and I went off on everybody in there that I felt didn’t care enough. Then I kinda lost control a little bit, but I felt that was needed, because the one thing I’m not going to accept is being a loser. I saw black. I lost it,” McGinest said.

When asked if he regrets it, Willie McGinest said that he’d do that again. “No, I’d do it again. I’ve done it again.”