Mike Sando of ESPN.com reacts to Seattle Seahawks Offensive Line Coach Alex Gibbs’s decision to retire on Saturday.
The early word is that the hard-charging Gibbs has burned out, which wouldn’t be the first time. It’s natural to wonder if Gibbs resigned in protest of personnel moves, but I have no indication that was the case. Gibbs was known as a strong advocate for guard Ben Hamilton, one of his former players in Denver, and it wasn’t clear if Hamilton was going to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. But assistant coaches regularly disagree with the choices his team makes. They don’t resign.
The timing is certainly curious.
Sando notes soon after that perhaps the team's trade for Stacy Andrews impacted Gibbs' decision to retire.
Andrews weighs 342 pounds, making him an odd fit for Alex Gibbs' zone blocking scheme, which favors much smaller guards. With Gibbs resigning from the Seahawks on Saturday, it's fair to ask whether personnel disagreements played any role in the abrupt departure.
Sando also notes that Seattle’s assistant line coach Art Valero is now in charge with roughly one week until the team’s regular season begins.