Seahawks interested in Saints QB coach Joe Lombardi for new OC

The Seattle Seahawks are still in search of a new offensive coordinator. Seattle reportedly now wants to interview Saint QB coach Joe Lombardi for the job. According to Jeff Duncan of The Athletic both Seattle and the Los Angeles Chargers have requested to have an interview for the two teams’ open offensive coordinator positions.

Seattle has shown interest in lots of potential candidates at this point, such as former Eagles coach Doug Pederson, former Jets coach Adam Gase and former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn. Pederson now appears to have dropped out of the race and may take a year off from coaching in 2021.

Lombardi has been the Saints quarterbacks coach since 2016 after he was fired from being the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2014 and 2015. Prior to that, Lombardi was the Saints quarterbacks coach as well from 2009 to 2013.

What may come into play if Lombardi does choose between joining the Chargers or Seahawks is that Lombardi was the offensive coordinator at Mercyhurst College between 2002 and 2005. During that time he coached Brandon Staley. Staley was just recently hired as the Chargers head coach so there is a connection there between Lombardi and Staley.

Of course, Lombardi also went to high school in Seattle and his father was a coach for a bit with the Seahawks.

Seahawks want to run the ball probably

Lombardi’s offenses with the Lions did not run the ball well and finished 28th in yards rushing in 2014 (Lombardi’s only full season as offensive coordinator) and 32nd in rushing in 2015 (though Lombardi was fired as OC after seven games. Seattle is likely to get back to running the ball more and Lombardi does not have a record of success there.

Lombardi does have success coaching shorter quarterbacks, though. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is listed as one inch taller than Seattle’s Russell Wilson. So Lombardi knows how to help design a scheme that will allow a quarterback who isn’t 6-foot-5-inches to be successful and that is a needed and good thing for the Seahawks.