Report: Jaguars To Hire Former Seahawks OC Brian Schottenheimer

The Jacksonville Jaguars will reportedly be hiring former Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to join Head Coach Urban Meyer's staff as the club's passing game coordinator, according to multiple reports.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Adam Schefter of ESPN had the news first.

Schottenheimer, 47 years old, first became a coach in the NFL in 1997 as an assistant with the St. Louis Rams. He's spent three seasons in the college ranks at separate times in his career. Most recently he was OC with the Seattle Seahawks. His entire career has been spent on the offensive side of the ball.

Schottenheimer spent three seasons in Seattle, taking over a the offense for the 2018 season and working with quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks and Schottenheimer "let Russ cook" for the first half of the season, during which the club led the league in scoring (38 points per game) and Wilson led all passers with 28 touchdown passes.

In the latter half of the season, Wilson and the Seahawks saw a sharp decline. The points-per-game average dropped to 22.6 (which was 16th) and Wilson threw 12 TD passes (tied for 13th).

Two weeks ago, January 12, Schottenheimer and the Seahawks parted ways due to "philosophical differences" but still calling him a "fantastic person and coach."

After the shift in regime, Wilson tweeted out his thanks to his OC saying, "Schotty... I'm grateful for how much you meant to me over the past three years," Wilson tweeted Tuesday night. "God blessed me with you, we won a lot of games, threw a lot of touchdowns and had a blast in meetings and our bible studies. The best days are ahead for you. Go be Great. God first. Love. 3."

Schotty... I’m grateful for how much you meant to me over the past three years. God blessed me with you, we won a lot of games, threw a lot of touchdowns and had a blast in meetings and our bible studies. The best days are ahead for you. Go be Great. God first.

Love. 3. pic.twitter.com/rMtDd7YJUt
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) January 13, 2021

Schottenheimer will serve with Jags Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell...who proceeded him as OC with Seattle. Bevell led the Hawks as the offensive coordinator from 2011-2017.

The two—specifically Schottenheimer—will be tasked with bringing along the quarterback and presumably Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is expected to be the Jaguars first-round pick at No. 1 overall in April's 2021 NFL Draft.

The Jaguars had the worst record in the league this past 2020 season at 1-15 and started three different quarterbacks at different times during the season. None were in the Top 25 in the league in passing. The closest was incumbent starter Gardner Minshew. The second-year passer finished the regular season 27th in the league with 2,259 total yards and a QBR of 51.7.

When Meyer was hired as the Jaguars main man on January 14 (two days after Schottenheimer was fired from the Seahawks) he said this of his future staff.

"The work has begun to get this team where it needs to be and my primary focus, as we speak, is to put together a great staff. I’ve been very supported by some incredible coaches throughout the years and I expect to do the same here in Jacksonville. These fans, especially our loyal season ticket holders, deserve a winner. And I can speak on behalf of myself, my staff and eventually our team, they will get our very best."