SEATTLE — The Seahawks plan to hire Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde as the team's new defensive coordinator, NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported Friday morning citing league sources. The Associated Press confirmed the news shortly after the initial report through a source.
Macdonald said during his introductory press conference last week that he plans to call the defensive plays, but Durde likely will manage the day-to-day operations of the Seahawks defense.
Durde spent the past three seasons with the Cowboys under Dan Quinn, who was recently chosen as the new head coach for the Washington Commanders. Before that, the 44-year-old Durde worked on the Atlanta Falcons' staff.
Originally born in England, Durde played American football overseas for the London Olympians, Scottish Claymores and Hamburg Sea Devils along with NFL stints on the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Durde was once the head of football development at NFLUK and helped to create the league's International Player Pathway Program, which finds opportunities for non-American players to compete in the NFL.
The Cowboys have had one of the NFL's strongest defenses during Durde's time with the organization, ranking in the top 10 for the fewest points allowed per game over each of his three seasons.
Durde replaces Clint Hurtt, who joined the Philadelphia Eagles' staff this offseason after two seasons as Seattle's defensive coordinator.
Macdonald was the Ravens' defensive coordinator before coming to Seattle and likely will still have an outsized impact on the defensive scheme.
Now that the Seahawks have reportedly found a defensive coordinator, the next step is to find someone to run the team's offense while Durde and Macdonald mastermind the defense.
University of Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and Detroit Lions coach Tanner Engstrand have been linked to the offensive coordinator role by multiple reports.
