Seahawks Request Interview With Texans Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik
Another week, another interview request for Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
The Seattle Seahawks have requested to interview the Texans' first-year offensive coordinator for their head coaching position. Seattle moved on from longtime coach Pete Carroll following a 9-8 finish in 2023.
The Seahawks are now the fifth franchise to submit a request for an interview, joining the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders, who all requested interviews last week.
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Slowik, 36, was essential in Houston's seven-win turnaround in Year 1 of the DeMeco Ryans' era, mainly due to his work with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. The No. 2 overall pick became the fifth rookie passer in league history to throw for 4,000 yards (4.108) during the regular season, joining Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston.
Stroud completed 64 percent of his passes and totaled 23 touchdowns against five interceptions. The favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud was third in the NFL in explosive plays of 20 yards or more.
Stroud's 100.8 passer rating ranked fourth among passers, trailing only San Francisco's Brock Purdy (113.0), Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (102.7), and Miami's Tua Tagovailoa.
In Saturday's 45-14 wild-card round win over the Cleveland Browns, Stroud was near-perfect, completing 16 of 21 pass attempts for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He became the fourth rookie passer in league history to throw for 200-plus yards and three touchdowns in a playoff game.
Slowik's offense was dynamic in scoring, too. Touchdowns came in all forms — from a quick screen turned 67 upfield for six points to a 37-yard play-action rollout touchdown just before halftime. The Texans also punched in a touchdown on a 19-yard run from Devin Singletary in the fourth quarter.
Houston travels to Baltimore to take on the top-seeded Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Slowik began his career in Washington as a defensive assistant in 2010 under Mike Shanahan. He'd later join Kyle Shanahan's staff in San Francisco in 2017 as a defensive quality control coach before working his way up the ladder to run-game coordinator prior to his departure to Houston this offseason.
Offensively, the Seahawks have talent, averaging 21.4 per contest. DK Metcalf totaled over 1,100 receiving yards, while Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted at least 600 yards and 63 catches. Questions surround the future of Geno Smith as the long-term quarterback after regression set in following a breakout 2022 campaign.
Seattle currently holds the No. 16 pick in April's draft and could elect to target a quarterback if it were to hire an offensive-minded coach. While the Seahawks likely wouldn't land the top three passers, they could target prospects like Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), and Bo Nix (Oregon), who are all expected to mid-Day 1 targets.
Slowik could follow a similar path to Ryans and take his name out of the running for this cycle. Ryans, a favorite to win Coach of the Year, garnered buzz on the head coaching market after his first season as the 49ers defensive coordinator, though elected to return to the Bay Area for another year.
Last week when asked if he had any advice for Slowik, Ryans offered up two words of wisdom.
“Be selective,” he said. “You only get one opportunity to do it, and you want to make sure you’re selective and that you’re going to – if you get the opportunity – going to a place that you feel like you can be effective.”
