The Seattle Seahawks have found their new defensive coordinator. According to NFL Media, the Seahawks will hire Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde for the role under new head coach Mike Macdonald.
Durde is a Dan Quinn disciple who spent the last three years coaching Dallas' defensive line under Quinn, and will now head to Seattle to take over the DC job after Quinn left his Dallas role to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders. Durde also interviewed for the Cowboys' defensive coordinator job following Quinn's departure, but Dallas ended up hiring former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who had previously been Dallas' defensive coordinator from 2000 through 2006.
Prior to working with Quinn in Dallas, Durde was a defensive quality control assistant and then outside linebackers coach for Quinn's Atlanta Falcons teams. Born in Middlesex, England, Durde played professionally in both NFL Europe and briefly in the NFL, though he never appeared in an NFL game. He also played an integral role in NFLUK and helped guide the International Player Pathway program prior to joining Quinn in Atlanta.
Macdonald has previously said that he will call the defensive plays as the head coach, so even though Durde is getting a promotion from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator, that apparently will not include the play-calling role. He marks the second defensive hire on Macdonald's staff, along with veteran coordinator Leslie Frazier, who was hired as an assistant head coach. Passing-game coordinator Karl Scott is expected to remain with the staff after spending the past two seasons in that role under Pete Carroll.
Meanwhile, with Durde leaving Dallas along with both Quinn and passing-game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. (who left to become Quinn's DC in Washington), the Cowboys now have several vacancies to fill on Zimmer's defensive staff.
