Seahawks: Ranking the five best defensive coordinators in team history

Number 2: Tom Catlin, Seahawks DC from 1983 through 1992

Don’t remember Tom Catlin? That’s OK. Catlin was the DC a very long ago for the Seahawks before the earth had completely cooled. Catlin took over as DC when the franchise was only seven seasons old. He stayed the DC from Seattle’s first successful season until the team started to decline. But the decline of the Seahawks wasn’t really Catlin’s fault.

In Catlin’s next to last season (1991) Seattle was 7-9 but the defense was 8th in points allowed and 8th in yards allowed. Four times with Catlin as DC Seattle ranked 8th or better in terms of points allowed. Three times the defense was 9th or better in yards allowed. It was like Seattle was loaded with great defensive talent; They were just well-coached defensively.

The first year Catlin coached in Seattle the defense was 24th in points allowed and 27th In yards allowed. But a year after Catlin’s direction became the way, Seattle was 5th in points allowed and 6th in yards allowed. This means while it took Catlin a year to get players to adjust to his direction, once they learned what he needed there was great success.

Catlin also coached linebackers for Seattle from 1992 through 1995. He didn’t coach after leaving the Seahawks but continued to live in Seattle. He died in 2008 from complications due to surgery and he also suffered from Parkinson’s disease.