Seahawks fire offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell
Jan 10, 2018, 12:45 AM | Updated: 4:05 pm
Darrell Bevell originally took over as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 2011. (AP)
(AP)
The Seahawks have fired seven-year offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a source confirmed with The Seattle Times.
The news was first reported by Pro Football Talk.
The Seahawks confirmed the move, along with the firing of offensive line coach Tom Cable, with a statement from head coach Pete Carroll Wednesday afternoon.
O’Neil: Time for Seahawks to cut the cord with Tom Cable
The team released a statement from Bevell shortly after.
Statement from Darrell Bevell: pic.twitter.com/GQ4URQaQ4m
— Seattle Seahawks (@seahawksPR) January 10, 2018
Bevell was originally hired as offensive coordinator by Carroll in 2011, replacing Jeremy Bates. With Bevell as a part of the coaching staff, Seattle captured a postseason berth in five consecutive seasons from 2012-16. The Seahawks appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls in 2013 and 2014, winning Super Bowl XLVIII to earn the franchise its first ever Lombardi Trophy.
Bevell’s most controversial moment, though, came in Seattle’s Super Bowl XLIX loss. With a chance to secure a historic win over the New England Patriots, he called for an ill-fated screen pass by quarterback Russell Wilson that was intercepted in the end zone by Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler to seal the win for New England.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Seattle’s offense had one of its most productive seasons the following year. Wilson had over 4,000 yards through the air and the team averaged 141 rushing yards per game. Seattle finished fourth overall in points and passing yards (4,061) and third overall in rushing (2,268).
However, the last two seasons have seen a slump in the ground game. After spending four years ranked in the top five or higher in rushing, the Seahawks fell into the bottom third of the league in 2016 and 2017, and ultimately ranked 14th overall in weighted offensive DVOA for 2017. Seattle struggled to remain consistent this season and eventually finished with a 9-7 record – the first time the Seahawks would both finish with less than 10 wins and fail to make the postseason since 2011.
On Jan. 1, during the Seahawks’ locker room clean-out, wide receiver Doug Baldwin cautioned against placing blame on Bevell for Seattle’s struggles.
“It’s not play-calling,” Baldwin said. “It’s not play-calling. We go into a game knowing what the defense is going to give us, the situations we’re going to be in. We don’t execute as a team. Offensively, that’s what we’ve seen countless time and time again that we do not execute the way we should. And that’s on us as players. You guys can blame Bev all you want to, but the truth of the matter us, Bev is not the problem.’’
