Seahawks get their version of Dan Quinn after all by poaching Cowboys assistant
By Jerry Trotta
Dallas Cowboys fans have waited with bated breath to learn of Al Harris' fate. After a strenuous couple of weeks, it appears Harris will return to his post as the Cowboys' defensive backs coach. It wasn't for a lack of effort on Dan Quinn's part, though, as Dallas blocked Quinn's request to interview Harris.
Nobody expected Quinn to end up in Washington. Well, that's not entirely true. After the Seahawks shockingly moved on Pete Carroll as head coach, countless insiders coined Quinn as the favorite to return to his old stomping grounds in Washington state, where he made a name for himself as Seattle's defensive coordinator.
The Seahawks ultimately landed on Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to be their new head coach. Macdonald had a big hole to fill on his staff after Seattle's former DC Clint Hurtt was hired as the Eagles' defensive line coached after Carroll was fired.
As it turns out, the Seahawks will get their version of Quinn after all as they hired Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde as their new DC.
The #Seahawks plan to hire Aden Durde as their defensive coordinator, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 9, 2024
Born in England, Durde played in NFL Europe and the NFL before embarking on a coaching career. Now, at age 44, he takes a big role on Mike Macdonald’s staff in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/rLHjppPUX6
Seahawks hire Cowboys DL coach Aden Durde as new defensive coordinator
This news came out of left field, though if you kept tabs on the Cowboys' defensive coordinator search, Durde was given serious consideration for the job. Jerry Jones predictably settled on Mike Zimmer, but Durde emerged as a legitimate contender to replace Quinn after starting the process as a dark horse.
Durde began his coaching career as a Cowboys intern in 2014-15, but his rise among the coaching ranks occurred under Quinn's watch in Atlanta. Durde started as an intern in 2016 before becoming a defensive assistant in 2018-19.
From there, the 44-year-old was promoted to outside linebackers coach in 2020. Quinn was fired five games into the 2020 campaign. That offseason, Quinn became the Cowboys defensive coordinator and he hired Durde to coach the defensive line.
Under Durde's tutelage, Dallas' defensive line consistently ranked at the top of the league in pressures and pass rush win rate. In Seattle, he and Macdonald will be tasked with fixing a defense that ranked 25th in points allowed, 30th in yards allowed and 30th against the run this season.
Cowboys are having a brain drain on defense despite last season’s head-scratching finish. Dan Quinn, Joe Whitt Jr. and now Aden Durde are all gone from staff. @TomPelissero first to report Durde becoming the Seahawks’ DC. https://t.co/c8AEqlxyyk
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 9, 2024
Macdonald will likely call plays out of the gate, but he conceded during his introductory press conference that he plans to hand those responsibilities over to the defensive coordinator (now Durde) when "it becomes obvious that someone else is ready to go and we see it the same way."
Durde will hopefully crush it in Seattle. On an unrelated note, it's pretty comical the Seahawks wound up with a Quinn disciple on their coaching staff after weeks of speculation that Quinn would replace Carroll as head coach.
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