From Cleats To Clipboards, Seahawks That Moved To Coaching
Today I thought we’d have some fun and look back at a few former Seahawks that moved into the coaching ranks once they hung up the cleats. Some stayed in the pro ranks, while others are working on Friday nights.
Sorry, we’re full up on manufactured drama
Let’s be honest. It’s a dead news period for the NFL, especially when your team doesn’t have any OTAs scheduled. I could write the typical clickbait article, mention Colin Kaepernick – see, made you look – but this is 12th Man Rising, not Kaepernick Rising. I could write about supposed divisiveness in the Seahawk locker room, all based on something Richard Sherman yelled at Russell Wilson. Once. In practice. Two years ago.
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But I think you’ve had enough of that. Of course we at 12th Man Rising will respond to those stories. We’ve added our efforts to pour water on these comical little brushfires along the way, just as Sherman, Michael Bennett, Pete Carroll – okay, every Seahawk -did. We discussed Kaepernick and how he may fit and perform with the Seahawks. We will again, no doubt. But not right now.
We’re here to entertain and inform, not inflame
Well, hopefully we entertain and inform. This was all the long way to explain why you are now reading an article on Seahawks that are (or were until recently) coachin’ ’em up. Hopefully you’ll find it more interesting than some media-manufactured crisis in the Seahawks locker room.
Former Seahawks in the coaching ranks
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, merely an introduction to some of the names that have already grabbed a whistle and a clipboard.
Terry Dion. Dion played DE for the Seahawks in 1980, and is an assistant coach with Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Washington.
Jon Kitna. Hopefully you know Kitna played a little QB for the Seahawks from 1997 – 2000. Kitna is the head football coach in Waxahachie, Texas.
Mike Williams. WR in 2010 and 2011, Williams is the head coach at Van Nuys, California. For more on Williams, read this great piece from Doug Farrar in Sports Illustrated last summer.
Sherman Smith. You know him, of course. First offensive pick ever for the Seahawks, led the team in rushing in its first four seasons. Coached high school, college, and was the Seahawks RB coach for seven years.
Lofa Tatupu. LB for six years with Seattle, he was the assistant LB coach for two seasons until he left the Seahawks, and coaching, this February.
Kris Richard. Not surprisingly, the current Seattle defensive coordinator played cornerback for the Seahawks, from 2002 – 2005.
Another factor they all share
None of the men listed above were superstars in the league. I’m not knocking their careers at all. Just stating that no one confuses Jon Kitna with Russell Wilson, or Terry Dion with Michael Bennett. There simply aren’t a lot of superstar players that move into coaching. Jack Del Rio is the only current NFL head coach who ever made the Pro Bowl, and he only did it once.
When it comes to coaches, it’s much more common to see players who gave all they had, but simply had less to give than their star teammates. This will be important when we look at current Seahawks that could be stalking the sidelines in the future. That will be next for me. Hopefully you’ll join me for that, too.