The aftermath of Black Monday in the NFL has seen the termination of two
notable
ex-Seahawks assistants, shedding light on their current status and potential future opportunities.
The recent wave of dismissals following “Black Monday” did not witness a significant number of head coach firings, partly due to several midseason terminations. However, a noteworthy development was the departure of various assistant coaches across the league who had ties to the Seattle Seahawks.
Former Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron faced an early exit from his role with the Chicago Bears during the midseason upheaval, while ex-Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson received his walking papers from the Cleveland Browns. Joining them in unemployment are San Francisco 49ers’ special teams coordinator Brian Schneider and Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Schneider had an extensive tenure as Seattle’s special teams coordinator from 2010 to 2020, while Bradley previously served as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012 before enduring a challenging head coaching stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Notably, this marked Bradley’s third defensive coordinator position post-Jaguars, whereas Schneider spent three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
Reflecting on Schneider’s tenure in San Francisco, it can be observed that there were fluctuations in performance over time. A tweet by Kyle Posey highlighted the varying DVOA rankings for the 49ers’ special teams under Schneider’s leadership, indicating room for improvement despite challenges faced due to injuries affecting player availability.
In light of a disappointing season culminating in a last-place finish within NFC West for San Francisco (6-11), further changes within their coaching staff are anticipated. Additionally, with former Pete Carroll assistant Nick Sorensen serving as their defensive coordinator and ex-Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright transitioning into a role as defensive quality control coach, shifts in responsibilities may continue.
Bradley’s fate seemed sealed following an unexpected defeat for Indianapolis Colts at the hands of New York Giants where former Seahawks QB Drew Lock delivered an outstanding performance with over 300 yards passing and five touchdowns scored (four passing and one rushing). The loss dashed Colts’ playoff hopes amidst retention decisions favoring head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, leading to Bradley being designated as the scapegoat following an underwhelming season record (8-9).
As these coaching transitions unfold in response to Black Monday repercussions across NFL franchises, it underscores both challenges faced by coaching personnel and forthcoming prospects that may shape their careers moving forward.
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