A look at young OCs who are latest Seahawks interview requests

The Seattle Seahawks are searching for their next head coach, and apparently will be looking at two of the game’s bright young offensive minds.

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According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Tuesday, the Seahawks have requested interviews with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik for the team’s head coaching vacancy. The Seahawks will also interview Las Vegas Raiders defensive coodinator Patrick Graham, per a Monday evening Pelissero report.

Those two join five other candidates the team reportedly will interview: Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Seattle also reportedly has interest in interviewing Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald. You can ready about these candidates in the link below.

A look at the Seattle Seahawks’ first reported coach interview requests

The Seahawks’ interest in Johnson and Slowik is not surprising, and they’re hardly alone. Those two are among the most sought-after candidates in this offseason’s coaching cycle.

Here’s a closer look at that duo as well as Graham.

• Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson (per Pelissero)

Johnson, 37, has been leading Detroit’s electric offense each of the last two seasons and has been a big part of the Lions’ recent success.

Johnson joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive assistant before coaching tight ends in 2019 and 2020. He was the team’s passing game coordinator in 2021 before being promoted to offensive coordinator prior to last season.

The Lions were third in yards and fifth in points in 2023 after finishing fourth in yards and fifth in points in 2022.

Six teams, including the Seahawks, have reportedly requested interviews with Johnson this offseason. He also interviewed for head coaching vacancies last year.

The Lions just beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 in the wild card round and will host the Tampa Bay Bucanneers with a trip to play for the NFC Championship on the line.

• Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowik (per Pelissero)

Slowik, 36, started his coaching career as a defensive assistant in Washington from 2011-13 before working as an analyst for Pro Football Focus from 2014-16.

In 2017, Slowik joined head coach Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant, and he later had roles as pass game specialist and passing game coordinator.

Slowik followed former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to Houston to become offensive coordinator when Ryans became head coach last offseason.

With Slowik calling plays for an offense led by No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud at quarterback, the Texans went from the 31st-ranked scoring and total offense in 2022 to 12th in yards and 14th in points this year.

The Seahawks are the fifth team to request a head coach interview with Slowik.

Slowik’s Texans thumped the Cleveland Browns 45-14 on Sunday and will face the Baltimore Ravens for a spot in the AFC Championship game.

• Las Vegas Raiders DC Patrick Graham (per Pelissero)

Graham, 44, just finished his fifth season as defensive coordinator and second with the Raiders. He was defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins in 2019 before taking the same role with the New York Giants for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Graham got his NFL coaching start with the New England Patriots, where he had various defensive coaching roles from 2009-15, including coaching linebackers and defensive line. Graham was on the Patriots’ coaching staff when they beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49.

The Raiders, despite an 8-9 finish, ranked 15th in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed under Graham in 2023.

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