Seahawks onto other options for secondary coach as Ed Donatell reportedly joining Vikings
On to Plan B for Pete Carroll’s search for new Seahawks defensive coaches.
After expecting Ed Donatell to join Seattle as a senior assistant coach and expert with defensive backs, Carroll is reportedly losing Donatell to Minnesota, where he will become the defensive coordinator for the Vikings. That’s according to reports out of Minneapolis-St. Paul Thursday from the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press and others.
Donatell, 65, is apparently choosing a lateral move from Denver Broncos defensive coordinator to the Vikings rather than working under Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt.
League sources told The News Tribune last week that Carroll is expected to promote Hurtt, 43, from Seattle’s defensive line coach to replace Ken Norton Jr.
Carroll fired Norton as Seahawks defensive coordinator last month, following Seattle’s 7-10 season.
Hurtt continues Carroll’s pattern of promoting position coaches to defensive coordinator during his 12 years leading Seattle. Hurtt specifically follows the path Dan Quinn took from previous Seahawks assistant head coach/defensive line coach under Carroll to Super Bowl defensive coordinator in the 2013 and ‘14 seasons.
Hurtt has extensive experience with the schemes and personnel in defenses’ front sevens. He was the linebackers coach with Chicago when Donatell was the Bears’ secondary coach in 2015 and ‘16.
Losing Donatell to the Vikings leaves the Seahawks still pursuing a new coach for the back four of their defense, their secondary. Seattle fired Andre Curtis as its defensive passing game coordinator the same day the team fired Norton in January.
The Seahawks are interested in Karl Scott to replace Curtis as their defensive passing game coordinator. Scott had that job this past season for the Vikings, who are hiring a new staff for Kevin O’Connell. Minnesota is expected to name O’Connell, the Rams’ offensive coordinator, as its head coach after Los Angeles plays Super Bowl 56 Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Scott, 36, was an NFL assistant coach for the first time in 2021 with the Vikings. The three years before that, he was the defensive backs coach for Nick Saban’s college football powerhouse at Alabama.
The Seahawks also are believed to be interested in Sean Desai, Chicago’s defensive coordinator last season. He’s been a Bears assistant since 2013, with an emphasis on working with defensive backs. The Bears are also turning over their coaching staff, with Matt Eberflus coming in as Chicago’s new head coach.
Desai, 38, reportedly interviewed with the Vikings for the coordinator job Donatell is now taking. Desai also reportedly interviewed with the New York Giants for their defensive coordinator job this month.
The Giants decided on Don “Wink” Martindale as their defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports this week.
The Seahawks have yet to officially announce Hurtt as their new coordinator as they wait to complete their defensive staff. Desai isn’t likely to accept Seattle’s offer in its secondary while he’s in consideration for other coordinator jobs.
In the meantime, promoting Hurtt allows Carroll, general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks to continue preparing for the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in three weeks and the NFL free-agency period next month with continuity and clarity in defensive scheme with a not-so-new coordinator. That’s even with their defensive coaching staff for 2022 not yet complete.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Seahawks onto other options for secondary coach as Ed Donatell reportedly joining Vikings."
