For the average NFL fan, it’s going to be disappointing not to see the Pete Carroll-Jim Harbaugh rivalry play out in the NFC West in the coming years.
Once seen as a rivalry that could have gone down as one of the greatest coaching battles in history, it was cut short when Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers could not work their issues out off the field.
Nearly a couple months removed from Harbaugh’s premature exit in San Francisco, the Seattle Seahawks head coach is speaking out about his former rival.
I’m going to miss him. I saw Jim as an extraordinary competitor and I loved what he brought out in us. We’ve had a lot of games over the years and I appreciate that.
Carroll’s issues with Harbaugh have been well documented in the past. To say that they don’t care for one another would be a rather large understatement.
However, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t a working respect between the two. Carroll may have gotten the best of Harbaugh over the past couple seasons, but it was Jim who started out this rivalry on top. A rivalry that San Francisco hopes continues with Jim Tomsula on the sideline.
As it relates to Harbaugh’s move to Michigan, Carroll had this to say:
It won’t take them long to be able to be fighting for something. Jim just knows how to get that done.
Maybe the two will meet up again as rivals. But until then, Harbaugh’s major focus has to be on rebuilding the Michigan Wolverine program. As for Carroll, it’s now time for his team to move on from the bitter ending to Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots.
Photo: SF Gate