Report: Indicted former Michigan coach was Seahawks outside contractor last season

The Seattle Seahawks used former Michigan and Baltimore Ravens assistant coach Matt Weiss as an outside contractor while he was being investigated

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Former Michigan football and Baltimore Ravens assistant coach Matt Weiss — indicted on 24 counts of unauthorized access to computer data and identity theft last week — was an outside contractor for the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Weiss, fired by Michigan in early 2023 during a university police investigation, "gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases of more than 100 colleges and universities," according to a press release from the Justice Department. "After gaining access to these databases, Weiss downloaded the personally identifiable information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes ... Once Weiss obtained access to these accounts, he downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos that were never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners."

Weiss landed the job with the Seahawks due to previously working with head coach Mike Macdonald — Michigan's defensive coordinator in 2021. Seattle knew about the investigation but didn't know specifics, per Florio. If he was charged, the arrangement was to be terminated, but it ended after the 2024 season.

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The former Michigan co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach had access to Seattle's film, per Florio, but did not attend any practices or games and did not have access to the team's computer systems.

Whether the NFL approved of the hire or knew the nature of the allegations remains unknown, according to Florio. Either way, it's curious the Seahawks brought Weiss in as a contractor while he was being criminally investigated. It's impossible to make a full judgment, however, without knowing how much Macdonald and Seattle knew.

Before coaching at Michigan, Weiss was on Baltimore's staff for 12 seasons, beginning in 2009. He worked his way up to being the team's running backs coach in 2019 after allegedly already having access to the private files for four years. Weiss also was an outside contractor with the Cleveland Browns during the investigation in 2023.

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