In another surprising development with the Seahawks Wednesday, senior personnel executive Scot McCloughan has resigned to tend to personal matters. Jason La Confora of CBSSports.com first reported the news. McCloughan was the 49ers general manager but stepped down in 2009 for similar, still publicly unexplained, personal reasons.
Earlier Wednesday, QB Russell Wilson released a statement through the club saying he was divorcing his wife, Ashton.
ProFootballTalk.com confirmed McCloughan’s departure. McCloughan is a well-regarded personnel man credited with making the calls to acquire 49ers stars Frank Gore, Joe Staley, Vernon Davis and Patrick Willis. In Seattle, he was part of GM John Schneider’s inner circle that made the choices on Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor.
McCloughan joined the Seahawks in March 2010 following the hires of Pete Carroll and John Schneider. His departure allowed Trent Baalke to assume the 49ers GM job.
It was McCloughan’s second tour of duty in Seattle. He originally came to the club in 2000, as director of college scouting under Mike Holmgren, but left after the team’s run to the Super Bowl to join the 49ers, first as vice president of football operations (2005-07) and then as general manager (2008-09).
La Canfora reported that McCloughan intends to organize his own independent scouting service, while working from home as he tends to his personal matter.
2 Comments
Wow, sounds like he will be missed. Any part of the Pete n John show leaving is not a positive. Hope he gets things straightened out and can come back!
“La Canfora reported that McCloughan intends to organize his own independent scouting service…”
Well, that line pretty much scuttled my hope that McLoughan could be retained in a consultant’s role. This guy obviously has an eye for talent and you hate to lose exclusive access to anyone like that. Whatever else he does professionally, I hope he gets his personal stuff ironed out. Life is bigger than the NFL (although you’ll never convince Roger Goodell of that).