Coach hires by Panthers, Falcons bring some focus to whom Seahawks might hire

SEATTLE – And suddenly there were just two.

In the space of a few hours Thursday, half of the four remaining NFL head coach openings were filled — one by a former longtime Seahawks assistant and another by a coach Seattle hoped to interview.

The hirings of former Seahawks assistant Dave Canales by Carolina and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris by Atlanta left only the Seahawks and the Washington Commanders with head coach openings.

Morris’ hiring in Atlanta also depleted by one the number of known candidates for the Seahawks as they search for a successor to Pete Carroll.

Morris was in Atlanta for an interview Thursday and was reportedly set to fly to Seattle for an interview Friday. The Falcons made that moot by offering him the job.

Morris’ hiring came as the Seahawks were said to be interviewing Dan Quinn, the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys and the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator in 2013-14 and head coach of the Falcons from 2015-20.

The Seahawks also interviewed Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka earlier this week and are scheduled to interview Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero on Saturday. All are second interviews after they interviewed each virtually last week.

Whether Atlanta’s move to hire Morris says anything about where things stand with the Seahawks’ search was not immediately clear.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon, the Seahawks might still take their time.

Wrote Schefter: “The last two head coach openings of this cycle are the Seahawks and Commanders. Neither team is expected to hire anyone until next week, after Sunday’s conference championship games, per league sources.”

The Seahawks might be even more patient knowing that they have only Washington as competition. The Commanders reportedly have set their sights on Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

The Seahawks held a virtual interview with Johnson last weekend, but he was not on the list of their known second interviews.

Washington might also present some competition for Quinn as the NFL Network reported Thursday that he is scheduled for a second, in-person interview with Washington “early next week.”

If the Seahawks really wanted Quinn, they could make a quick move to get him locked up before he talks to Washington (Seattle’s other interviews this week will satisfy the Rooney Rule requirements).

Schefter’s report seemed to indicate that won’t happen with the Seahawks said to be continuing to explore all options.

Quinn has been considered a favorite from the start because of his previous experience in Seattle and close relationship with general manager John Schneider, who is heading up the search.

Washington’s interest in Quinn might also be mostly as insurance in case things fall through with Johnson. A report from SI.com stated Johnson will interview with Washington on Tuesday and “has a chance to lock this one down” during that interview.

If so, that would leave the Seahawks with their choice of the rest of the other four coaches it will bring in for in-person interviews this week, as well as any others it might want to pursue such as former Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

The Seahawks have not been reported as having interviews lined up with either Vrabel or Macdonald. Vrabel interviewed with Atlanta on Wednesday but has not been linked to Washington.

Quinn is the only one of the coaches on the Seahawks’ list of second interviews who has interviewed with Washington. Both teams also interviewed Houston offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik virtually, but Slowik is not on Seattle’s list of second interviews.

Washington also has been reported interested in interviewing Macdonald, but coaches of teams still playing cannot do interviews this week.

Because the Seahawks have not interviewed Macdonald virtually, they could have to wait until after the Super Bowl to talk with him because of NFL rules, assuming they are interested. If the Ravens lose Sunday, the Seahawks could talk to him next week.

It’s also worth remembering teams cannot hire assistants of teams still in the playoffs until after their seasons have concluded.

So just how interested the Seahawks might be in the 36-year-old Macdonald figures to become clearer by early next week.

Morris’ hiring in Atlanta was a surprise in large part because the Falcons had held two interviews with Bill Belichick, and for much of the process it had been considered almost a slam dunk that the longtime Patriots coach would end up in Atlanta. Morris also had served as interim coach with the Falcons for the final 11 games of 2020 when Quinn was fired, going 4-7, leaving some to wonder how that would influence things.

But Atlanta decided to give Morris his second full-time head coaching gig (he was Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2009-11) and Belichick remains without a job.

There has been no indication the Seahawks are interested in Belichick.

One reason could be that Schneider will have full say over the coaching staff and personnel, something Carroll had the previous 14 years.

Belichick had full control in New England and likely would want it in Seattle or wherever he would next go.

If the hiring of Morris was a surprise because of who hired him, the hiring of Canales might be the surprise of the entire coach-search cycle because of his meteoric rise.

Canales, 42, was an assistant with the Seahawks from 2010-22, coming to Seattle from USC when Carroll was hired.

Canales was Seattle’s receivers coach from 2010-17, QB coach in 2018-19, passing-game coordinator in 2020-21 and QB coach again in 2022 before moving to Tampa Bay this year as OC.

Canales was hired in Carolina by the Panthers’ new general manager, Dan Morgan, who served in several roles in the Seahawks’ personnel department from 2010-17.

The Seahawks won’t play Carolina in 2024 but are scheduled to play against the Panthers in Charlotte in 2025.