Mike Holmgren appeared on KJR-AM on Friday at noon with Dave Mahler and Hugh Millen. He addressed the current situation with the Seahawks in much greater depth than I thought he would, a credit to the interview. I'll post a link to the audio from KJR when I get a chance, but in summarizing what he said, there was very little that would be considered surprising in the interview.

By this point, it's very clear that he has an interest in returning, but that was fairly well known even as he was leaving to take a one-year sabbatical. Asked if he would be interesting in talking to the Seahawks now that there is a vacancy atop the team's football operations:

"Absolutely, I would like to talk to them," Holmgren said to Mahler's question. "I think I made it pretty clear I would like to go back to work after this season.

"But I've also said this, that the people and the team has to want to. The situation has to be right, the opening has to be right. And that's why I've tried to keep an open mind, not get too emotional about it. This is not news. My family is there. I have a strong attachment to the city and my time there, but I also know things change. You never know. The organization has to feel you're the right fit."

He said he would be willing to participate in a hiring process, but joked that there's not a lot anyone in the franchise is going to learn about him it doesn't already know.

"I trust been thoroughly vetted so far, already, for 10 years," Holmgren said. "But I'll go through whatever is necessary to go through as long as it makes some sense."

"Listen, I'm not such a big shot that I can't fall in line with everyone else," he said, "but I would also say most of the people know me already and it might not be exactly the same interview I give as everyone else."

He didn't answer one of the most fundamental questions, which is what capacity he wants to return to work. Is that as a head coach or in charge of football operations?

"If I have the chance, whatever job that I wind up taking, I don't want it to be a ceremonial type thing," Holmgren said. "I don't want to be there in a suit and tie heaven forbid and go over to Barnes and Noble and read books all afternoon."

Particular to Seattle's situation, he was asked about Jim Mora, who is expected to be retained after the transition to a new chief of football operations.

"Jim is a fine coach and is a passionate guy," Holmgren said. "It wouldn't take too long to realize Jim's a good football coach. The second thing is, I think having one year under your belt and then not being able to continue is kind of unfair."

Holmgren mentioned it rarely happens, exceptions being Miami in 2008 after the Dolphins went 1-15 the year before and Cam Cameron was fired after one year. Another came in Green Bay after Mike Holmgren's departure when Ray Rhodes lasted just one year as Packers coach.

While Holmgren said that it isn't a hard and fast rule that a coach always should get more than one year, that's usually the case.

"Now as a management situation, you might have to make a very difficult decision in that way if you think absolutely it's going in the wrong direction," Holmgren said. "But those instances are really few and far between."

Moving on to the roster, Holmgren was asked for his appraisal of the roster and after saying that he felt even in 2008 the team was stocked with players capable of winning, he did focus on one area in particular.

"I think you really have to start with the offensive line and look at that," Holmgren said. "Clearly that's an area of the football team you'd have to look at hard."

Finally, Holmgren gave an assessment of how he might have changed or grown in terms of the way he would make personnel decisions. He held the general manager's responsibilities for four seasons (1999 to 2002) and had a significant role in personnel decisions in 2003 and 2004, but for his final four seasons in Seattle was the coach with Tim Ruskell in charge of all decisions.

"I wouldn't change that much," Holmgren said. "I know that kills some people."

He did outline three things he would do differently, though.

1) He thought the mish-mashed scouting department created when he brought a number of people with him from Green Bay in 1999 and sought to meld them with the Seahawks existing framework didn't work.

2) He would not draft for need, specifically citing the decision to take Jerramy Stevens in the first round was a stretch that he made because he felt it was a position they needed to pick. That was the mistake in Holmgren's mind, not Stevens' personal baggage.

3) Delegation. This is where he thought he really improved. "Have to get knocked down once in a while before I got it figured it," he said.