Pete Carroll: Jarran Reed’s ejection, scuffle with Frank Clark was a ‘teachable moment’ for Seahawks

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll didn’t like how rookie Jarran Reed lost his cool Sunday when he allegedly threw a punch that got him ejected from Seattle’s win over San Francsico. Carroll didn’t seem to mind, though, how Frank Clark responded right afterward – even if it led to a brief scuffle between the two defensive linemen.

It was the third time this season that an incident broke out on Seattle’s sideline. Unlike cornerback Richard Sherman’s previous outbursts, this was two teammates going after each other, albeit only momentarily. It all unfolded with 5:42 left in the fourth quarter when Reed drew a personal-foul penalty and an ejection following a San Francisco extra point. Clark confronted him as he was walking off the field, pointing in his face and saying something that Reed didn’t seem to want to hear. Clark grabbed Reed by the shoulder pads and the two squared off for a few seconds before teammates separated them.

Asked about the sideline altercation during his conversation with “Brock and Salk” on Monday, Carroll said: “I think it was all but called for. I think it was a terrible decision to throw a punch in there in the middle of all that. It was one of those big, everybody’s standing up, shoving each other (after the PAT). It was a mistake and that’s all. Those guys, there isn’t an issue other than that they’re pissed that that happened because we can’t let plays like that get in the way of our attempt to win championships here. That was a moment that a young guy stepped out.”

Carroll credited center Justin Britt for the way he intervened in that moment and how he handled himself throughout the game.

“Britt was in the middle of all kinds of stuff. He wasn’t going to throw or do anything silly,” Carroll said. “He knew what he was doing. He was composed about it. That’s how we need to be. That was really what the statement was. The guy got thrown out and it’s legit.”

Television replays showed Reed and San Francisco’s Mike Purcell going after each other following the PAT but not the alleged punch. Referee Tony Corrente didn’t mention one when he announced the personal foul on Reed and his ejection. Carroll said he didn’t see a punch from Reed, “but the official came over and said he threw a haymaker.”

Carroll said Reed got punched first and noted how it’s often the retaliation that gets noticed by officials.

“We’ve seen that for a million years,” Carroll said. “He got punched first, but that’s not OK. That’s not how we perform and play and we’re not going to succeed doing stuff like that.”

Which is why Carroll appreciated Clark’s message to Reed, even if he could have delivered it differently. Carroll was asked if that was indicative of Clark’s emergence as a leader in his second season.

“Yeah, I think it was a good statement,” Carroll said. “He jumped in and wanted to make sure that he got the message. Was it well-spoken at the time? Probably not. Was it clear and all that? Measured? No. But we all need to understand that. I’m hoping that’s a great teachable moment for us.”