Count Jim Mora among the Seattle Seahawks faithful who wanted Mike Holmgren to come back and save the franchise that he led to four NFC West titles and its only Super Bowl appearance.
Mora said Monday in the aftermath of a dreadful 24-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that he told Seahawks ownership he wanted Holmgren to return as the team's general manager.
Already-glum fans were dejected by Holmgren declining his former team's offer to return as an executive. It would have been a lesser role than the one that the Seahawks' winningest coach and former GM agreed to with the Cleveland Browns on Monday -- that of team president.
Mora, who's 5-9 after Sunday's loss to the Bucs, said he's "as disappointed as anybody" that Holmgren isn't coming back to Seattle.
"I was an advocate of him coming back, to the point that I made my feelings known to the people that make those decisions," said Mora, who was Holmgren's assistant head coach and defensive backs coach in 2007 and '08. "I'm probably as disappointed as anybody that he's decided to reject our offer and go on with it. I don't know all the particulars. I just know that I absolutely have great regard for Mike Holmgren."
Notes: Rookie LB Aaron Curry is doubtful for Sunday's game at Green Bay. He has a stinger that is weakening his arm. ... WR Nate Burleson likely will be out again this week with a high ankle sprain that he sustained two games ago.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
