Pete Carroll — yes, that Pete Carroll — doesn’t think college athletes should get paid.
The California Fair Pay to Play Act has predictably drawn its share of detractors in the coaching world. After all, these are coaches who directly benefit from the status quo of NCAA amateurism. Mike Leach, who signed a $20 million extension this year, bashed California’s legislative agenda just this week.
But the Seahawks coach enjoyed a successful college coaching career with the help of players — like Reggie Bush — who were benefitting beyond just scholarships. You’d think, at the very least, that Carroll would be able to see why college players deserve to get paid.
That, however, didn’t happen on Wednesday. When asked about the California bill, Carroll said that he never felt that college athletes should get paid and that athletes are treated well enough with scholarships.
Carroll, of course, put together a historic run in the 2000s with the Trojans and then took an NFL job just before major sanctions came down from the NCAA.
Fans and media were quick to point out how tone deaf his remarks were.
