Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Philadelphia Eagles announced the addition of nine new coaches to the staff, including Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio and Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore
The Eagles announced a revamped coaching staff for 2024 that’ll include significant changes at offensive and defensive coordinator positions.
2024 Coaching Staff finalized ✅ pic.twitter.com/mU2i4utpqR
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 23, 2024
In all, the Eagles welcome nine new coaches to the staff, including Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio and Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore.
Three members from last year’s coaching staff return with new titles.
The Eagles are expected to hire former Seahawks defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott to the same position
We forecasted significant changes in Philadelphia after the Birds’ late-season collapse, and the Eagles continue to retool their 2024 coaching staff.
They are reportedly hiring a couple of new defensive position coaches from Seattle.
Vic Fangio is here as the new defensive coordinator, and Philadelphia is expected to hire former Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt as their new defensive line coach and is set to hire former Seahawks secondary coach/pass game coordinator Karl Scott as their defensive backs coach, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
The #Eagles are expected to hire former #Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt as their D-line coach, per sources.
Sweeping staff changes continue under Nick Sirianni, who also is expected to hire one of Hurtt’s assistants in Seattle, Karl Scott, to coach DBs. pic.twitter.com/JlGbVqiy2U
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 29, 2024
Scott had spent the last two years as the Seahawks’ secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator.
In Seattle, Scott was responsible for the elite play and development of Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, and Michael Jackson.
The 38-year-old Scott previously coached defensive backs for the Vikings in 2021 and coached the secondary at Alabama from 2018-2020.
Scott was on Nick Saban’s staff along with CB Josh Jobe, QB Jalen Hurts, WR DeVonta Smith, and OL Landon Dickerson.
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to hire former Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt to the position of defensive line coach
The Eagles have their defensive coordinator of choice, Vic Fangio, and he’s already started building a solid staff.
According to Tom Pelissero, Fangio is hiring former Seahawks defensive line coach Clint Hurtt for the position of defensive line coach.
Karl Scott was on Alabama's staff during Jalen Hurts' final season there — and DeVonta Smith's Heisman Trophy-winning season, too. https://t.co/JE9nDqIEId
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) January 29, 2024
Hurtt was Seattle’s defensive play-caller for the last two seasons but had been with the club since 2017 and operated under the dual role of Seahawks’ assistant head coach and defensive line coach.
During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Hurtt worked with Fangio in Chicago as the Bears’ outside linebackers coach.
According to Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, the Eagles are expected to hire Clint Hurtt as their new defensive line coach.
When the Seahawks removed Pete Carroll as their head coach, the team allowed his former assistants to seek jobs elsewhere around the NFL. It’s taken a couple weeks but they’re starting to land with their new teams. Last week the Bears hired Shane Waldron to be their new offensive coordinator, and he’ll be bringing a few more assistants with him.
Now we have heard of where Seattle’s defensive coordinator is going. According to Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, the Eagles are expected to hire Clint Hurtt as their new defensive line coach. Seahawks defensive backs coach Karl Scott is also expected to join him.
The #Eagles are expected to hire former #Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt as their D-line coach, per sources.
Sweeping staff changes continue under Nick Sirianni, who also is expected to hire one of Hurtt’s assistants in Seattle, Karl Scott, to coach DBs. pic.twitter.com/JlGbVqiy2U
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 29, 2024
Despite having a lot of talent, Seattle’s defense had disappointing results this past season. While they had a strong pass rush, their run defense and coverage were too far below average to field a decent unit.
However, Hurtt’s background is as a defensive line guru and where he’s going he’ll have plenty to work with. Philadelphia has arguably the best defensive line in the league, or at least the most-gifted. Even if they lose both Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox in free agency, they’ll still be able to start a four-man front of Josh Sweat, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Haason Reddick with Nolan Smith coming off the bench.
As for the Seahawks, their head coach search may be climaxing over the next couple of days. They’re reportedly interviewing Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson later today and then Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald tomorrow. The decision should be coming not too long after those interviews are concluded.
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Ranking all 32 NFL teams by cap space going into 2024
According to a report by Jonathan Jones at CBS, Seattle’s assistant coaches are free to look for work elsewhere in the wake of Pete Carroll getting fired as the team’s head coach.
The Seahawks are about to go through a serious turnover at the top of the organization, and we’ll likely see a radically different front office and coaching staff by the end of it.
According to a report by Jonathan Jones at CBS, Seattle’s assistant coaches are free to look for work elsewhere in the wake of Pete Carroll getting fired as the team’s head coach.
Source: Members of the Seahawks coaching staff have been told they are free to look elsewhere for jobs. The new coach will have full autonomy over the staff.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 10, 2024
Carroll’s assistants will likely not be in too much demand, as Seattle underachieved this season on both sides of the ball.
While offensive coordinator Shane Waldron had his moments the Seahawks finished at No. 17 in points per game, which is obscene given how much talent they have. Defensively, Seattle fell apart down the stretch and finished at No. 25 in scoring defense – making defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt a tough sell for other teams that are in the market for coordinators.
Early in the season, offensive line coach Andy Dickerson was getting a ton of praise, but as injuries assailed the unit the group’s performance dropped off in a bad way. At one point Dickerson would have been a great candidate to move up in his next job, but now that’s far from certain, as well.
This may be the single craziest coaching cycle we have seen – with several quality head coaches and even a couple of future Hall of Famers now on the market.
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Most fans seem more than ready to dismiss offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt.
The 2023 Seattle Seahawks were underachievers. Despite having a solid quarterback and a ton of talent at the skill positions, they only finished No. 17 in the NFL in points scored per game. Meanwhile, on defense this was once again one of the league’s worst run-defending units, even after a strong start in this department. At the end of the season they ranked No. 31 in rushing yards allowed per game and No. 25 in points allowed per game.
While there better and more complex ways to gauge how good a team is on both sides of the ball, wins and losses and points scored and allowed are ultimately what decides who stays and who doesn’t stick around at this level.
So, who’s responsible for this talented and young team not living up to their full potential? If your finger is pointing at the coaching staff, then you’re going in the right direction.
While moving on from head coach Pete Carroll is still very-much a polarizing idea, most Seahawks fans seem more than ready to hear that both offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt have been fired. Here’s what they’re saying on Twitter.
Update:
There’s still no word on Hurtt or Waldron, but the Seahawks are moving on without Pete Carroll as head coach. He will remain with the organization as an advisor. We can safely assume that Waldron and Hurtt will be given the boot soon.
Pete Carroll, Clint Hurtt, Shane Waldron and Geno Smith are all taking shots on Twitter…
The Seahawks have lost four matchups in a row against the 49ers and they haven’t been close in any of them. Last night’s most recent failure was a sober reminder that Seattle is not yet ready to compete with the best teams the NFL has to offer – especially not the contender dominating their own division. After a 30-13 loss at home, fans on Twitter are having a good laugh at the Seahawks’ expense.
As for Seattle fans, they are reaching their limit. This time around, nobody is safe from their ire. Head coach Pete Carroll, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and starting quarterback Geno Smith are all taking shots…
The Leonard Williams trade gives the Seahawks another force multiplier in a defense that’s been evolving right under your nose.
The Seattle Seahawks, after their 24-20 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, find themselves ranked 15th overall in Defensive DVOA, and ninth against the run. Both pretty decent upgrades over the 2022 season, when the Seahawks ranked 22nd in Defensive DVOA, and 24th against the run. Seattle did a lot in the offseason to upgrade their interior defensive line, signing former Denver Broncos star Dre’Mont Jones and journeyman Mario Edwards Jr., and bringing Jarran Reed back after seasons in Kansas City and Green Bay — Reed was Seattle’s second-round pick in 2016.
So, the Seahawks have had multiple guys who can stop things up inside, and can also show out in multiple fronts. That process accelerated seriously on Monday, when general manager John Schneider dropped the hammer on a trade that sends former New York Giants and New York Jets lineman Leonard Williams to the Emerald City for a second-round pick in 2024, and a fifth-round pick in 2025.
For the Giants, the thought process is obvious — they’re sellers at 2-6, and they were going to have trouble re-signing Williams, who’s in the last year of the three-year, $63 million contract extension he signed in 2021. 2024 is a void year in that contract, so the Seahawks rented Williams for the second half of the season and however far they make it through the postseason, and the Giants will eat a lot of the 2023 money.
For the Seahawks, this move gives them four legitimate inside/outside guys who can all disrupt the quarterback and stop the run, which is an obvious boon for defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt just as young edge-rushers Boye Mafe and Darrell Taylor starting to show up hard. Add in a linebacker group led by Bobby Wagner that’s playing lights-out, and a secondary with as much talent as any NFL team could boast, and… well, this might not be a return to the Legion of Boom, but it’s pretty impactful.
What does the tape show for Seattle’s newest defender, who has two sacks, 22 total pressures, 14 tackles, and 13 stops this season? Let’s get to it.
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The latest word on Joe Cool III is that he’s almost operating at 100%…
The single biggest x-factor in today’s game between the Seahawks and the Bengals will be how well Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is able to move on his injured calf. Through the first four games of the season Burrow played through pain with poor results – both for himself and his team. However, Burrow appeared to be back in form in last week’s win over the Cardinals.
Heading into his team’s early kickoff later today against the Seahawks, the latest word on Joe Cool III is that he’s almost operating at 100%, including running sprints at practice for the first time since he suffered the injury. Here’s the Athletic’s Dianna Russini on the details, H/T Bengals Wire.
“Somehow the quarterback has played his way back to health. Calf injuries usually require rest, but Burrow has figured out a schedule of care for his calf that has him almost at 100 percent… Though slightly sore this week, he ran sprints in practice for the first time since the injury, according to a team source. Overall, he’s running and moving around more in drills, all without a calf sleeve on his leg.”
Good for him and for the NFL, but a bummer for Seattle this week. Nevertheless, this defense should be trying to test Burrow’s mobility as early and as much as possible. The pass rush rotation should certainly be feeling confident right now regardless who’s under center for the opponent.
Defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt reversed course and started blitzing aggressively in Week 3’s win over the Panthers and continued last Monday night against the Giants. The results were spectacular, with the team racking up enough sacks and total pressures to lead the league in both stats heading into their bye in Week 5.
The latest odds show the Seahawks are three-point underdogs, which is the same line as when betting opened but it has moved half a point in the Bengals’ direction after initially going half a point the other way.
In any case, to be within a field goal in a road game against what was a Super Bowl contender coming into this season (and may be again) shows just how far this young Seahawks team has come in a relatively short amount of time. At this rate the Russell Wilson trade may go down as the best deal not only in franchise history – but the most valuable trade any team has ever made in the NFL.
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Seattle has shown life in this department so far this year
The No. 1 focus for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason was fixing their abysmal run defense. Last year, the Seahawks were a lowly 30th against defending the run. You know, 30th out of 32 total teams.
Not great.
But in 2023 to start, Seattle’s run defense does look slightly improved. The Lions and Rams did have some success on the ground, but they were hardly running rampant like we saw teams do last year.
When asked about it, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt did speak positively.
Seahawks DC Clint Hurtt about the improved run defense. pic.twitter.com/ECmteMSwgC
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) September 21, 2023
Naturally, there is still work to be done. But it is encouraging to see the Seahawks have shown marked improvement thus far.
A big test is coming Sunday, as they face a Panthers team who did run roughshod over Seattle last year. Carolina bullied the Seahawks to the tune of 223 yards rushing in their 30-24 win in Week 14. Seattle’s improved run defense will need to show they genuinely have gotten better at this crucial weakness.
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