Report: Ed Donatell Spurns Seahawks, Accepts Vikings' Defensive Coordinator Job

Seattle hoped to add Donatell's expertise to its coaching staff as a defensive consultant, but with a far better opportunity opening up in Minnesota, that won't be happening.

Earlier this month, coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks looked poised to add long-time NFL assistant Ed Donatell to their coaching staff as a senior defensive consultant to work alongside new defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt. But that won't be happening after all.

Per a report from Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, Donatell instead is expected to become the Vikings new defensive coordinator, spurning the Seahawks to join new head coach Kevin O'Connell's staff. The team has yet to make an announcement about an official hiring.

Donatell, 65, has been an assistant coach in the NFL for 31 years, including 10 seasons as a defensive coordinator for the Packers, Falcons, and most recently the Broncos. On three different occasions, his defenses have finished in the top 10 in scoring, including two of his three years in Denver.

Aside from his successes as a coordinator, Donatell has long been viewed as one of the best secondary coaches in the league. During an eight-year span as a defensive backs coach for the 49ers and Bears from 2011 to 2018, he helped coach top-10 scoring defenses six times and backed by his strong secondaries, those units finished in the top 10 in passing defense seven times during that span.

After new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett didn't retain him, Donatell didn't appear to be on the radar for any defensive coordinator openings. Having coached with Carroll previously at the University of Pacific as well as with the New York Jets, Seattle seemed to be an ideal fit for him teaming back up with Hurtt, who was promoted from defensive line coach to succeed Ken Norton Jr. and coached with Donatell in Chicago.

While Carroll and the Seahawks are likely disappointed Donatell won't be coming to the Pacific Northwest after all, nobody should fault the coach for passing up on what could be his last opportunity to be a defensive coordinator in the NFL.

Bracing for such a move to take place in recent days, Seattle has maintained discussions with former Vikings secondary coach Karl Scott as well as former Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai as candidates for their passing game coordinator and secondary coach vacancies. At this time, no hire has been announced, though multiple reports suggest the team is closing in on hiring Scott.

Though he has just one season of NFL coaching experience, the 36-year old Scott came to Minnesota after a highly successful three-year run coaching under Nick Saban at Alabama. Before that point, he served as a defensive backs coach at Texas Tech and Louisiana Tech and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant working alongside current Baylor head coach Dave Aranda at Delta State in 2007.

As for Desai, he interviewed with the Vikings for their defensive coordinator job, only to be passed over for Donatell. He also interviewed with the Raiders and Giants but did not land either job. It's possible he could sign on as a passing game coordinator or another position in Minnesota with Donatell, as the pair coached together in Chicago for four seasons.

But Desai, 37, also has a prior working relationship with Hurtt and the Seahawks have kept in contact with the free agent coach with hopes he would join their staff if he didn't land a defensive coordinator gig. Now that those opportunities appear to have dried up, it's possible he may reconsider the possibility of coming to the Emerald City.

With jobs filling quickly across the league, more clarity on the Seahawks coaching situation should emerge in coming days. For now, Carroll and the front office hope to find a way to land both Scott and Desai, adding two young, innovative, secondary-driven defensive minds to their staff to team up with Hurtt for the upcoming season.