Report: Seahawks Expected to Hire Ed Donatell as Defensive Assistant

Rumored as a candidate to replace Ken Norton Jr., Donatell will be on Pete Carroll's staff in a different capacity with the defensive coordinator role still vacant.

Shortly after news broke that the Seahawks planned to fire defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., long-time NFL assistant Ed Donatell emerged as an early candidate to replace him. While he won't be filling that vacancy, he's set to join Pete Carroll's staff in a different capacity.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Seattle is expected to hire Donatell in a senior defensive role. Per multiple sources, he will likely serve as the team's passing game coordinator, helping fill the void left behind with the departure of Andre Curtis.

Donatell, who was the defensive coordinator for the Broncos under coach Vic Fangio for each of the past three seasons, has previous ties coaching with Carroll. The two men first worked together at the University of Pacific in 1983 and later spent five years on the New York Jets staff in the early 90s, including during Carroll's lone season as head coach in 1994.

The 65-year old Donatell has been an NFL assistant for 31 years, including 10 seasons total as a defensive coordinator for Packers, Falcons, and Broncos. In three of those seasons, he coordinated top-10 scoring defenses, including two of the past three years in Denver. Green Bay also ranked fifth in the league in scoring defense under his watch back in 2001, his second season with the franchise.

In addition, Donatell worked under Fangio as a secondary coach with the 49ers from 2011 to 2014 as well as with the Bears from 2015 to 2018. In six of those eight seasons, he helped coach a top-10 scoring defense, including all four years in San Francisco on Jim Harbaugh's staff. In seven of those seasons, his teams finished in the top 10 in passing defense as well.

Reuniting with Carroll, Donatell's presence will give the Seahawks an experienced coach on the staff who has worked in multiple schemes during his coaching career and thus should provide some fresh perspective. While his title remains unclear at this time, he should carry a significant role coaching the secondary and helping create game plans for defending opposing passing attacks.

As for Seattle's defensive coordinator search, Donatell's arrival could be good news for defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, who emerged as an early front runner to succeed Norton and has also been linked to the University of Miami's defensive coordinator opening. Hurtt previously coached with Donatell for two seasons in Chicago on Fangio's defensive staff as a linebackers coach and it's possible he could be named coordinator in title while Donatell handles passing game duties.

The Seahawks have also been previously linked to former Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai, who recently interviewed for the same role with the Raiders on new coach Josh McDaniels' staff, as well as Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. It remains unknown whether the team has already interviewed either candidate for the position or plans to speak with them in the future.

At this point, given his track record, backing in the building, and familiarity with Donatell, Hurtt should likely be viewed as the favorite to take over for Norton. But other candidates remain on the table for now and the addition of Donatell could mean an unofficial co-coordinator arrangement is in play as well.