8:00pm: The Seahawks also named Michael Barrow as their linebackers coach, Brennan Carroll as an assistant offensive line coach, and added Lofa Tatupu as an assistant linebackers coach, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).
6:40pm: The Seahawks announced that they have promoted secondary coach Kris Richard to defensive coordinator, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter). The move has been long rumored but it was not official until Seattle’s Monday night press release.
Richard was a popular man this offseason as new Falcons coach Dan Quinn tried to get Richard to come to Atlanta. Ultimately, Richard declined to follow his friend to the Falcons and one has to imagine he had a pretty good idea a promotion was coming his way.
Richard has long been a member of the Seahawks family, having first arrived in Seattle as a third-round choice in 2002. The cornerback only played for the Seahawks for three seasons before having stints with the Dolphins, 49ers, and Raiders, but he would later join up with Pete Carroll as an assistant on his USC staff. Later on, he followed his coach and mentor to the Seahawks. Seattle, of course, has been known for one of the toughest (if not the toughest) secondaries in the league under Richard’s watch.
Ken Norton Jr. was also considered to be a strong in-house candidate, but he was recently scooped up by the Raiders to be their defensive coordinator.