New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick believes any criticism directed at Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for calling a pass play in the final 26 seconds of the Super Bowl is unfounded. Belichick, now the winner of four Super Bowls as a head coach, also said he understood all too well the low that Carroll and the Seahawks are feeling.
The decision by Carroll, along with Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, to call a pass play on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 26 seconds remaining has been scrutinized ever since it led to Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler's game-saving interception. Belichick, though, believes the flak Carroll is getting for the decision is undeserved.
"There has been a lot of criticism that I don't think is anywhere close to being deserved or founded," Belichick said Tuesday on WEEI Boston, via ESPN. "That football team is very good, very well-coached, and Pete does a great job.
"Malcolm and Brandon [Browner], on that particular play, just made a great play. I think the criticism they've gotten for the game is totally out of line and by a lot of people who I don't think are anywhere near even qualified to be commenting on it."
Although Butler's interception sealed the Patriots 28-24 win, Belichick said he knew all too well what it was like to be on the losing end of a Super Bowl.
"I wouldn't be able to say enough about Seattle. They're a great football team, well-coached. They deserve so much credit for what they've done, and how well they've done it," Belichick said. "I know they are disappointed, as we've been in that spot a couple times ourselves. So the high that we feel is probably not as high as the low that they feel. But that's a really good football team."
