The important role Leslie Frazier has with Seahawks

Sep 24, 2024, 8:15 AM | Updated: 11:24 am

Seattle Sports

There’s still a lot of season remaining, but new Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has seemed to avoid some of the major growing pains expected for a first-time head coach in the NFL.

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Perhaps some of that could be contributed the guidance and wisdom he’s able to lean on from assistant head coach Leslie Frazier.

Frazier was brought on as Seattle’s assistant head coach after Macdonald’s hiring early this year. The 65 year old brings plenty of experience. He’s in his 25th season as an NFL coach, which includes four seasons as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

The remainder of Frazier’s coaching experience comes as a defensive coordinator and defensive position coach. That includes helping the Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI in 2006 while serving as the defensive backs coach and assistant head coach.

Frazier also played five seasons in the NFL and was a member of the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense.

Macdonald spoke on Monday about how Frazier makes an impact during the weekly Mike Macdonald Show on Seattle Sports.

“We just had a great conversation this morning about where we are as a football team, things that he’s seeing, observations from the game,” Macdonald said. “… It’s like a different lens that he’s seeing our team through. It gets less muddy from maybe my perspective.”

Another aspect Frazier helps in is reeling in the new head coach if he’s bitten off a little more than he should have.

“He’s kind of like, ‘OK, that’s enough Mike.’ Or he gives me this look where (it says), ‘Let’s calm down there, buddy,’” Macdonald said with a laugh.

During Week 3’s victory over the Miami Dolphins, Frazier’s presence was a little extra helpful. Before coming to Seattle, he spent six seasons from 2017-22 as the defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, an AFC East rival of Miami.

“I’d say the thing that’s unique to last week is just that he’s seen them so frequently,” Macdonald said. “But I’d say the role is consistent throughout the week or throughout every game, like looking at it big-picture-wise, kind of smelling a rat in some of our game plan stuff.”

Listen to the full conversation with Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald at this link or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. Tune in to the Mike Macdonald show at 9:30 a.m. on mornings following Seahawks games.