John Schneider staying put as Seahawks GM after Packers hire Gutekunst

Seahawks fans can breathe a sigh of relief, because general manager John Schneider is staying put in Seattle.

There were plenty of roster moves expected for Seattle this offseason, but one fans were hoping they wouldn’t see was the loss of Schneider to the Packers, who had a vacancy at after GM Ted Thompson moved to an advisory role with the team.

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Green Bay ultimately made an internal move, promoting Director of Player Personnel Brian Gutekunst.

The news didn’t come as too much of a surprise to 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard.

“To me, this was a non-story really from the beginning because this was negotiated a year ago,” Huard said, noting that while Schneider’s previous contract included an out clause if the Green Bay job were to come open, the same clause was not included when he signed an extension last year. “I think at that point, there was the give and take, whether that was an excessive or more salary, a longer-term deal, that was when – if you were John Schneider and you had this desire and you really did want to finish your career in Green Bay – that is when you had your opportunity to do it. (He) didn’t. (He) signed a deal without that clause, and thus he’s the Seahawks GM.”

The popular assumption was that Schneider – a Wisconsin native who started his NFL career with the Packers in 1993 as a scout – would be a top candidate for the position. The belief wasn’t misguided; a request by the Packers to interview Schneider was denied by Seattle last week.

Now that Schneider’s immediate future with Seattle is solidified, will the denial for his interview make him embittered?

“Knowing John Schneider, I can’t imagine that he would allow this to affect his job in any way,” Mike Salk said. “He’s such a professional in that regard. It’s hard to imagine this being the beginning of an end like that.”

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was hopeful during his end-of-season interview with Brock and Salk that Schneider would remain with Seattle.

“Yeah I do, I do expect (Schneider to be back next year),” Carroll said. “He loves being here, he loves what we’re doing, and he’s dedicated to what we’re all about. And he’s dedicated to me, as I’m dedicated to him. Let me say this while I have the chance: I hope that you guys have seen an illustration of a relationship in running an organization that stands out to you… I think that commitment to each other is just a statement of what we feel philosophically gives you the best chance to be at your best when you’re leading an organization.”

Schneider, 46, originally came on as general manager for Seattle in 2010 and was instrumental in the construction of two Super Bowl rosters. Under Schneider and Carroll, Seattle has drafted Pro Bowlers Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Tyler Lockett, and K.J. Wright. They’ve also had some of the most successful free agent signings in franchise history, starting in 2010 with undrafted rookie wide receiver Doug Baldwin, and later in 2013 with their addition of defensive ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett – all of whom were eventually named to a Pro Bowl.

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