Ryan Grubb reportedly in consideration for coordinator job with Seahawks
Ryan Grubb hasn’t yet been formally announced as Alabama’s next offensive coordinator. And he’s not on the school’s online directory. He was initially expected to follow Kalen DeBoer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa, but reports on Thursday suggest he might be coming right back to the PNW.
A report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio stated that Grubb is “definitely under consideration” to be the next offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and new head coach Mike Macdonald. The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta reported the same.
Seattle’s offensive coordinator under Pete Carroll, Shane Waldron, recently accepted the same position with the Chicago Bears.
When DeBoer first leave UW for the Alabama job, Grubb threw his name in the hat to be his replacement. Washington decided to look elsewhere, eventually hiring Arizona’s Jedd Fisch.
Grubb shared a lengthy statement on social media that made clear he wanted to be the next Husky head coach and he wanted to stay in Seattle.
“Though I wanted to be, I will not be the next head coach at the University of Washington,” Grubb wrote at the time. “It would have been a dream to stay here and fight to maintain the standard that had been re-established. … Seattle is the best!!! Husky fans are the best. … The passion and love this city has is rare and I am so blessed to have been here.”
Grubb has been with DeBoer at Sioux Falls, Fresno State, Washington, and (should he stay) now Alabama. Ahead of the College Football Playoff, he spoke very highly of DeBoer and the agency he feels he has within the offense despite working for a head coach who is as involved in that side of the ball as DeBoer is.
Macdonald said at his introductory press conference on Thursday that he’ll be calling the defensive plays in Seattle. Macdonald said experience calling plays at the NFL level is not “nearly top of the list” for him when picking his offensive coordinator.
“We are looking for the right person to come in here and build this thing,” he said. “So we want someone that is open-minded, that has a growth mindset, that can connect with their players and build a system that’s unique to the Seattle Seahawks that’s going to live here for a long time and is going to be the one spearheading it.”
Should Grubb return to Seattle, obviously there would be increased attention on what the Seahawks do in the NFL Draft. Michael Penix Jr. is in the class, and Seattle holds the 16th pick of the first round. Several mock drafts, including from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., have the Seahawks taking a quarterback with their first-round pick.
After leading a College Football Playoff run in 2023, the potential is there for a Seattle reunion.