Lack of communication partially to blame for Golden Tate's departure, Carroll says

SEATTLE – In case you were wondering, Pete Carroll is still mad about the way Golden Tate left the Seattle Seahawks three years ago.

Mad at himself, that is.

Carroll said Tuesday the team did a poor job of communicating with the wide receiver during free agency back in 2014.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t communicate with Golden really clearly on our end of it,” Carroll said. “And so now it becomes a negotiation. I didn’t feel like he had all the information he needed, and we needed to do a better job of that.

"I felt like when I realized what happened that we were too late to have any shot at that."

Tate ultimately signed a five-year, $31 million contract with the Lions. He’ll be in town Saturday when Detroit plays Seattle at 5:15 p.m., with Gameday pregame coverage beginning at 3 p.m. on the home of the Seahawks, Q13 FOX.

“The thing happened the first week of free agency and it’s crazy that time of year,” Carroll said. “Stuff is flying and all that. So, we lost him.

“But that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have lost him no matter what, because he got paid really well, he got a great contract and all that. The rest of it, I don’t care about. I just wish we would’ve communicated better, so he would’ve had better information. And that was really on us to do that.”

Tate went on to make the Pro Bowl after his first season with the Lions, pulling in 99 catches for 1,331 receiving yards. He dipped in 2015 with 90 catches for 813 yards, and finished with 85 catches for 1,000 yards this season.

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said the Seahawks will have their work cut out for them against Tate.

“Golden Tate is one of the best receivers in the NFL, I think,” Bennett said. ‘He’s just a versatile player. He’s one of those players you can put in and make a play at any positon.”

Carroll echoed that, saying he enjoyed working with Tate.

“I love that guy,” Carroll said. “I had a blast coaching him. He’s a terrific football player, and I always liked his attitude. He’s a screwball and he had fun – always loved playing the game.

“He was as much fun as anybody we’ve had to coach.”