Ryan Grubb made his professional debut this season, but the Seahawks did not like how it went. After rumors of making Grubb a one-and-done surfaced, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports the team will move on from the former college play-caller.
The Seahawks had poached Grubb from Alabama’s staff. The former Washington OC had followed Kalen DeBoer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa in 2024, but Mike Macdonald made an outside-the-box hire, with other NFL teams not showing interest in Grubb. While college interest should come Grubb’s way again, this is a quick dismissal at the pro level.
Although the Seahawks improved in total offense by going from 21st to 14th from 2023-24, they ranked 28th on the ground. That was believed to have driven Grubb to the hot seat. Macdonald may well target a more experienced option soon, as his college hire did not distinguish himself. Offensive line coach Scott Huff worked with Grubb at Washington, and the two were therefore seen by many as a package deal. Macdonald said on Monday, however, that despite Grubb’s dismissal Huff is likely to remain on staff (h/t The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar).
While Geno Smith has not taken steps forward after his Comeback Player of the Year campaign, he is at worst a middling starting QB. Grubb’s offense also produced a breakthrough effort from 2023 first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had struggled to establish consistency under Shane Waldron. Smith-Njigba jumped from 628 receiving yards as a rookie to 1,130 this season. That will certainly help Grubb if/when he returns to the college level, but this early ouster would stand to trip alarms in the NFL.
Grubb had been the play-caller during Michael Penix Jr.‘s two dominant seasons at Washington, doing plenty to elevate the left-hander to top-10 draft status. Smith finished 21st in QBR, dropping a bit from 2023; the resurgent passer also threw 15 interceptions after finishing 2023 with just nine. Granted, the latter total came in just 15 starts due to two injury-driven absences. Smith played all 17 games this season, guiding the Seahawks to a 10-7 record. Untimely INTs did help define his season, though, and it will now be three play-callers in three seasons — assuming Seattle retains its Russell Wilson successor — for the 34-year-old vet.
The Seahawks interviewed Giants OC Mike Kafka for their HC position and tried to meet with him for their OC post soon after hiring Macdonald; New York blocked the latter effort. With the Giants rumored to have Kafka on the hot seat upon retaining Brian Daboll, the two-year Big Blue play-caller could be a name to watch for this Seahawks post.
Definitely a shaky offense, and it’s weird that they ran so little with a strong defense and great running back tandem, but it’s also hard to run an offense with only one good lineman. I wonder if he heads to Alabama.
Grubb can go help DeBoer lead Bama to being the 4th to 7th best SEC team next year.
Rushed firing. Until they find a single decent interior lineman (they need 3), it doesn’t matter who has the title of OC.
JS needs to step up this offseason and fix the line.
And find a QB that doesn’t brain fart in the Red Zone.
Agreed. It was admittedly a strange hire to begin with, but Seattle’s lack of offensive balance seems to have been more of a function of necessity than choice. Was management expecting Grubb to call more 2 yard runs where Walker had to dodge his own blockers being pushed into the backfield instead?
I’m sure that Grubv’s work could have been better-he’s a first year coordinator, with no NFL experience, after all-but Seattle reached down into the college ranks knowing that. Or, at least, they should have known that. It’s not the worst firing in the world, but you have to wonder if Grubb could have done better with more time and a better line. Maybe not, as his adjustment work wasn’t great, but the for sure fact is that Schneider is going to have to upgrade that line dramatically if his next coordinator is going to have any chance of success.
I’m not a Shanahan or McDaniel acolyte by trade, but if Seattle can’t improve that line, they may need to look to those quick throw concepts for inspiration (perhaps that was part of the impetus for the Williams signing?). Right now, their lack of time of is really affecting their output.
If the running backs could stay healthy, the Hawks would not have finished 28th in rushing
Tanner Engstrand from the Lions would make a good OC in Seattle.