The Seattle Seahawks have already watched one assistant coach move on this offseason, and another name is starting to circulate as a future head coach.
Klint Kubiak left his role as offensive coordinator to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, and now Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic is pointing to defensive coordinator Aden Durde as Seattle’s next breakout coaching candidate.
Rodrigue listed breakout stars for all 32 teams and said Durde is the one to keep an eye on in Seattle. She also noted that people around the league were surprised he didn’t draw more head coaching interest during the most recent coaching cycle.
“Some league sources were very surprised that Durde did not get more head coaching interest last winter, with Seattle’s defense playing at such an elite level. Durde has gotten praise from players and his coaching colleagues for his expertise in head coach Mike Macdonald’s system, his collaborative attitude and his teaching and communication skills with players and other assistants,” Rodrigue wrote.
Durde’s path has been a steady climb. He got his NFL coaching start in 2014 with the Dallas Cowboys through the league’s fellowship program, and in 2024 he joined Seattle and became the first British-born defensive coordinator in NFL history.
Rodrigue also gave a nod to another Seahawks assistant, special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.
”An additional nod is needed toward special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh, who coached one of the most exciting units in the NFL last season - and one that gave Seattle a serious edge throughout the postseason.”
Harbaugh comes from a well-known coaching family. His father is Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, and his uncle is John Harbaugh, the former Baltimore Ravens head coach who took over the New York Giants this offseason.
He worked on John Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore in 2012 when the Ravens won a title, and later coached under his father at Michigan when the program won a National Championship. Harbaugh joined Macdonald in Seattle in 2024 and added another trophy this past season.
For Seattle, the takeaway is simple: the staff is getting noticed, and Durde and Harbaugh both look like names that could be climbing fast.
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