Seahawks to hire Aden Durde as defensive coordinator, per report
Feb 9, 2024, 11:44 AM | Updated: 9:29 pm
Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde during a 2021 game. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
(AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
The Seattle Seahawks “plan to hire” Aden Durde as the new defensive coordinator, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.
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Pelissero broke the news late Friday morning on social media.
Durde, 44, has been the Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach since 2021. He is the first full-time British-born coach in NFL history.
Prior to his D-line role with Dallas, he was outside linebackers coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 and defensive quality control coach with Atlanta from 2018-19.
Prior to his coaching career, the London-raised Durde was a pro linebacker in NFL Europe for six seasons, then spent time on the practice squads for the Carolina Panthers in 2005 and Kansas City Chiefs in 2008. After his playing career, Durde also had a tenure as head of football development at NFLUK, working in the international player pathway program.
Durde has learned under a name familiar to Seahawks fans: Dan Quinn. The former Seahawks defensive coordinator brought Durde onto his Falcons staff when he was head coach, then Durde joined him in Dallas after Quinn became Cowboys defensive coordinator in 2021.
That makes it a bit surprising that Durde would come to Seattle, as he has never coached in the NFL apart from Quinn, who just became the new head coach of the Washington Commanders.
Though the reported addition of Durde fills a big void on new head coach Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks staff, they still have yet to hire an offensive coordinator. Macdonald is coming off a highly successful run as Baltimore Ravens DC, likely putting more importance on the choice at OC.
Durde will have a big task along with Macdonald in turning around a defense that has struggled badly in recent seasons. Seattle finished the 2023 season ranked 30th in total yards allowed, 31st at stopping the run and 25th in scoring defense.
This post includes contributions by The Associated Press.
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