RENTON, WA – Just as Seahawks general manager John Schneider was wrapping up his first press conference since replacing Pete Carroll, two more names emerged as potential candidates for the team’s next coach. On Tuesday, two new names were added to the list: Bobby Slowik of the Houston Texans and Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions, who oversee offensive strategy. Both names were released on Tuesday by the NFL Network, the league’s official media outlet, which also said the Seahawks had requested interviews with both players.
As previously mentioned, Seattle has asked to speak with the defensive coordinators for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham from six other NFL teams.
Teams are permitted per league regulations to interview NFL assistants remotely this week and to start in-person interviews on Monday, but only with coaches of teams that have finished their season (i.e., not teams that make it to the conference championship game). The Seahawks will start interviewing on Wednesday, according to Schneider. With the intention of bringing in candidates in person the next week, it is probable that Seattle will do virtual interviews this week. Teams are always welcome to speak with unemployed coaches or college coaches. However, none of the coaches that match those descriptions have been connected to Seattle. Schneider stated that the Seahawks may interview as many coaches as they wanted.
“Too many is not too many,” Schneider said, adding that the team will approach it as it does the free-agency process – trying to be in on anything and everything. Here is a look at the two newest names: JOHNSON Johnson, 37, has been the Lions’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons and with Detroit for all three years of its resurgence under coach Dan Campbell, beginning with the title of passing game coordinator in 2021. Johnson was a walk-on quarterback at North Carolina from 2004-07 under John Bunting and Butch Davis before getting into coaching. He earned degrees in mathematics and computer science.
Between 2012 and 2018, he worked for Miami in a variety of offensive capacities, retiring in 2018 as the receivers coach. In 2019, he started working for Matt Patricia in Detroit as an offensive quality control coach. Johnson has been largely credited with making Detroit’s offensive one of the finest in the NFL. In terms of yards and points, the Lions placed fourth and fifth in 2022 and third and fifth in 2023. Washington allegedly has a virtual interview with Johnson this week.
SLOWIK
In Houston, where he has been the offensive coordinator for a rookie quarterback named C.J. Stroud, Slowik, 36, is wrapping off his first season in that role. The Texans made it to the divisional round of the playoffs, finishing 12th in points and 13th in yards this season. Under Kyle Shanahan, Slowik played for the 49ers from 2017 until 2022 in a variety of capacities, including passing game coordinator in 2022. He was credited with turning Brock Purdy from a reserve into a starter. He also worked for the 49ers from 2017 to 2018 as a defensive quality control coach and from 2019 to 2020 as an offensive assistant.
On a staff that also included Kyle Shanahan, current Rams coach Sean McVay, Morris, current Packers coach Matt LaFleur, and current Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Slowik worked for Washington from 2011 to 2013 as a defensive assistant under Mike Shanahan. As a result, he would be familiar with the offenses and game plans of the Rams and 49ers, two of Seattle’s major NFC West rivals. Bob Slowik, a former college, NFL, and CFL assistant currently with the Calgary Stampeders, is the father of Slowik.
Among his positions with the Packers were defensive coordinator in 2004 and defensive backs coach from 2000 to 2003. This implied that he had met Schneider, who worked in Green Bay’s personnel office from 2002 to 2010. Bobby Slowik completed his high school education at Green Bay Southwest. At Michigan Tech, a Division II university in Houghton, Michigan, he was a receiver in addition to studying biomedical engineering. His brother Ryan is the outside linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins, while his brother Steve is an area scout for the 49ers, according to his Houston Texans bio. His mother, Carol, coached track and field for the U.S. Olympic Festival team as well as for a number of college teams.
