Bumpus: Seahawks’ hire of QB coach Greg Olson ‘makes complete sense’
Feb 21, 2023, 2:49 PM
Offensive oordinator Greg Olson of the Las Vegas Raiders gestures as the team warms up before a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 14, 2021. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Seahawks lost a longtime assistant last week when quarterbacks coach Dave Canales left Seattle after 13 years to become Tampa Bay’s new offensive coordinator, but Seattle reportedly already has its replacement.
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On Sunday, CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported that the Seahawks will hire longtime NFL offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson (not to be confused with former Seahawks tight end and current FOX analyst Greg Olsen) to coach the team’s QBs. The Seahawks have not yet confirmed the hire.
Olson, 59, has coached in the NFL all but one year since 2001. And aside from last year with the LA Rams when he was a senior offensive assistant, Olson has been either an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach during that timeframe at the NFL level.
Former Seahawks receiver Michael Bumpus broke down his thoughts on the move on Tuesday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports.
“Greg Olson, he’s an OG, man. He’s an OG,” Bumpus said.
Olson is a Washington native, having grown up in Richland in the Tri-Cities. He played in college at Central Washington, then began his coaching career at WSU before returning to his alma mater as offensive coordinator.
“He’s been an offensive coordinator at Idaho, Central Washington, the Jags, the Lions … he had the No. 6 offense there with the Raiders,” Bumpus said. “He’s just been around the block. He also helped the Bucs get franchise records in yards per play and (yards per rushing attempt) back in the day.”
Most importantly, Bumpus said, Olson has familiarity with Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. In 2017, Olson was Rams QBs coach while Waldron was the team’s tight ends coach.
“He knows Shane Waldron and Shane Waldron knows him,” Bumpus said.
Olson also has coached quarterbacks of different talent levels.
“He’s coached Jon Kitna, Drew Brees and Jared Goff … Drew Brees is in a class of itself, but Jared Goff and Jon Kitna are (similar to Geno Smith), you know what I’m saying?” Bumpus said. “He understands how to deal with the best quarterbacks and then those middle-tier type of quarterbacks. He’s just been there and he’s done that. And I think that mature presence will resonate with Geno, I think it’ll help Shane Waldron out. I like the familiarity. On paper, this is a good hire and it makes complete sense. Now we’ll just see how he connects with Geno.”
Listen to the second hour of Tuesday’s Bump and Stacy at this link or in the player below.
