Seahawks key assistants should be very cautious taking head coaching jobs

It’s that time of year where teams are moving on from head coaches, general managers, and key assistants in order to improve their chances to improve their chances to compete for a Super Bowl title.

We see the typical suspects like the Arizona Cardinals, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the New York Giants already making the move for a new head coach. There are also teams like the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns who felt they needed to move on from their successful head coaches.

Among the top candidates for a head coaching job are Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and defensive coordinator Aden Durde. The two of them have already been contacted about interviews for head coaching jobs. Both of them should be considered for head coaching jobs, but even if they have the opportunity to lead their own teams doesn’t mean it's the best job for them.

Seven teams made the decision to move on from their head coaches either during the season or shortly after Week 18’s sets of games. Among the seven teams that fired their head coaches, five or six of them have either historically or currently been a dysfunctional franchise.

Jonathan Gannon was a stellar defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2021 to 2022. He helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl LVII appearance and was then hired by the Cardinals. Gannon had three disastrous seasons with the dysfunctional Cardinals, where he accumulated an overall record of 15-36, including a 4-13 record this season. He was fired on Monday.

He is an example of a top-tier assistant going to a bad franchise and posting bad results. Kubiak and Durde should be cautious of their potential opportunities to be a head coach based on the teams that are interested.

Kubiak has been offered interviews with the Cardinals, Falcons, Giants, and the Raiders. He is easily one of the top coaching assistants this season based on how fast he was able to completely rescheme the Seahawks’ offense from a one-dimensional passing offense last year to a dynamic, two-headed running game with an explosive passing scheme.

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III runs for extra yards in the Week 18 win over the San Francisco 49ers. — Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Seattle is third in the league in points per game (28.4), eighth in passing yards per game (228.1), and tied for 10th in rushing yards per game (123.3).

Kubiak has been able to utilize quarterback Sam Darnold’s high-volume passing abilities and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s explosive and dynamic route-running. The Seahawks’ running game under running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet is getting hot at the right time.

Kubiak’s biggest problem is that this year is the only proven year of his as a leader after moving from one team to another since 2021. While he has the brains to lead an offense, he doesn’t have the experience to lead a whole team, especially in limited jobs.

Durde has received a request for an interview with the Browns for a head coaching job. Kevin Stefanski was a two-time coach of the year for the Browns, but the team’s decisions in the front office with quarterback Deshaun Watson and others have deconstructed Stefanski’s playoff progress.

Durde has come a long way from being an American football player in London to one of the smartest and devoted defensive coaches in the league. He has had two solid years as the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks, but Macdonald is the real architect of the defense.

He has done well to maintain the order of the top-ranked scoring defense in the league, but there are more questions about Durde’s roles and leadership with the Seahawks.

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