NFL

Seahawks part ways with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer

Brian Schottenheimer has once again outworn his welcome.

The Seahawks on Tuesday fired Schottenheimer, the team’s offensive coordinator for three seasons, after Seattle’s season-ending 30-20 wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.

Schottenheimer, 47, also was the Jets offensive coordinator from 2006-2011 and ran the Rams offense from 2012-14, while they were in St. Louis. Schottenheimer, who also was Georgia’s offensive coordinator in 2015 and was the Colts quarterback coach during the 2016 and 17 seasons, joined the Seahawks in 2018.

“Brian Schottenheimer is a fantastic person and coach and we thank him for the last three years,” the Seahawks posted on their Twitter account. “Citing philosophical differences, we have parted ways.”

Those “philosophical differences” may have been with head coach Pete Caroll, Russell Wilson and top wide receiver DK Metcalf, who was visibly upset on the sidelines a couple of times during Saturday’s loss.

Wilson, who completed just 11 passes in the defeat, didn’t give a ringing endorsement to the offensive plan after the game. The Seahawks also were held to a season-low 278 yards.

Brian Schottenheimer
Brian Schottenheimer Getty Images

“We needed to get going there,” Wilson told the Seattle Times. “The game kind of felt stale for us in a way — we kind of flatlined. We needed to get going and make that happen. And the next thing you know, we didn’t.”

Carroll also didn’t rush to Schottenheimer’s defense after the defeat, saying he wished the offense “would have adapted better” to how opposing team’s defenses played them in the second half of the season, according to the Seattle Times.

Carroll also said he would like the Seahawks to run the ball more next year, and, according to NFL Network, the team is considering interviewing Shane Steichen, who was the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator this past season.