Seahawks part ways with Darrell Bevell

According to Sports Radio KJR/AP/ProFootballTalk.com reporter Curtis Crabtree, the Seattle Seahawks have fired offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

The target of much criticism after Seattle’s offense slumped somewhat in 2016 and 2017, Bevell had been the Seahawks’ OC since 2011. His offenses ranked 23rd, 9th, 10, 8th, 4th, 18th and 11th in scoring. By DVOA they ranked 22nd, 4th, 7th, 5th, 1st, 16th and 14th.

Bevell, 48, had been rumored previously to be in the running for various head coaching positions in the NFL and the NCAA, but stayed with Seattle for seven full seasons. He is the only offensive coordinator to have worked with Russell Wilson on a professional level.

The team did not immediately confirm or deny the report late Tuesday evening/early Wednesday morning. However, according to Crabtree’s source, Bevell was informed of the decision Tuesday night.

In 2012-2016, the Seahawks reached the postseason five consecutive times, averaging 11.2 wins per year. Then, in 2017 they missed out on the playoffs after the offense scored one non-Wilson rushing touchdown and fell to 5.2 yards per play, after 5.6 the previous season and 5.9 in 2015.

Bevell’s dismissal comes after a prominent Seahawks playmaker, Doug Baldwin, gave him an unequivocal show of support in the wake of the season-ending loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

“It’s not play-calling,” Baldwin said. “It’s not play-calling. We go into a game knowing what the defense is going to give us, the situations that we’re going to be in. We don’t execute as a team. Offensively that’s what we’ve seen countless time and time again is that we do not execute the way that we should. And that’s on us as players. You guys can blame Bev all you want to but the truth of the matter is Bev is not the problem. Probably already said too much.”

This story will be updated as more details become available.