Seahawks Coach Mike Macdonald Hits Home-Run Hire with Leslie Frazier
Making his first major splash as he begins to assemble his staff for the upcoming season, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald will have a familiar face with an excellent reputation joining him on the sidelines in the Pacific Northwest.
As reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and confirmed by sources to All Seahawks, the Seahawks will add former Vikings head coach and long-time NFL defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to the staff as an assistant head coach. The 64-year old took last season off after a lengthy stint as the Bills defensive coordinator and previously worked with Macdonald in Baltimore.
Well-regarded in league circles, Leslie Frazier has been the architect of several top-five scoring defenses and brings more than 20 years of NFL coaching experience to Mike Macdonald's staff.
© Mark Konezny, USA TODAY
In his introductory press conference on Thursday, Macdonald told reporters he intended to call plays on defense as the head coach, which shouldn't come as a surprise after he coordinated top-three scoring defenses each of the past two seasons in Baltimore. The addition of Frazier likely won't alter that plan, though he did hint that he may be willing to delegate that duty depending on who Seattle hired.
"Right now, the plan is I'll be calling the plays. Now, depending on who the defensive coordinator is and when that becomes -- ultimately, I'm the head coach of the football team, so I want to coach the football team," Macdonald said. "Right now, the best way that we can win in my opinion is for me to call the plays, and then when it becomes obvious that someone else is ready to go and we see it the same way, then we'll make that change."
If there's a coach who Macdonald could entrust such a responsibility as he takes the reins from former coach Pete Carroll, Frazier would certainly fit the bill with a fantastic resume coaching top-tier defenses over the years.
Beginning his coaching career back in 1999 on Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia, Frazier brings 12 seasons of NFL defensive coordinator experience with him to Seattle. Viewed as one of the best defensive minds in the game and well-regarded by former players as a teacher, he has coordinated four top-10 scoring defenses in an illustrious career, including three times in a four-year span in Buffalo from 2019 to 2022.
Since they were on the same staff with the Ravens in 2016 as defensive assistants, Frazier has been a mentor for Macdonald, including advising him in an unofficial capacity last season. Previously working under all-time greats such as Tony Dungy and John Harbaugh and serving as the Vikings head coach from 2010 to 2013, his extensive experience will be a major boon for Macdonald as he progresses through his first season as Carroll's successor.
Officially joining Macdonald's staff, Frazier likely will take a back seat from a play calling standpoint with the Seahawks, but he should be heavily involved with game planning during the practice week and adjustments in-game. Most importantly, the young coach will be able to pick his brain navigating the challenges that come with being an NFL head coach, making him a brilliant addition to the staff in more ways than one.
By hiring Frazier to check off the former head coach box, Macdonald will now have a lot more flexibility on the offensive side of the ball as he continues to search for a coordinator. Having been linked to former Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who each have never been a coordinator at the NFL level, he should feel more comfortable making an outside the box hire for the right candidate now.
