Where Does Seahawks Coaching Search Stand Without Ben Johnson? - Locked On Podcast

Less than 24 hours after interviewing with the Seattle Seahawks, Ben Johnson withdrew his name from consideration for their head coaching position, narrowing the field of available candidates for the franchise to choose from. What's next?

Corbin K. Smith | Jan 31, 2024

In this story:

Seattle Seahawks

Now entering their third week seeking a replacement for Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks coaching search took an unexpected turn on Tuesday with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson announcing he would not be taking a head coaching job this cycle.

Johnson, who just helped lead Detroit to the NFC Championship Game, interviewed with Seattle for a second time on Monday, suggesting he would be a serious contender to succeed Carroll. However, reports surfaced on Tuesday morning confirming he not only wouldn't be joining the Seahawks, but would skip this year's coaching carousel completely in favor of staying with the Lions in pursuit of winning a Super Bowl.

With Johnson officially out of the mix, the Seahawks still have plenty of options, including Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who reportedly interviewed on Tuesday morning. Others such as Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn also remain very much in the mix as the team continues to weigh options in a narrowing field of candidates.

Hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang discuss the significance of Johnson withdrawing his name from consideration and where Seattle could now turn in the coaching search, hand out final grades for DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Seattle's receiving corps, and dish out a quick preview of which positions and players they will be keeping an eye on at the 2024 Senior Bowl in Mobile.

Listen to the latest Locked On Seahawks in the video player above or subscribe for free to the podcast platform of your choice here.

Follow and Subscribe to Locked On Seahawks on all Podcast platforms 🎧

Follow Corbin Smith on Threads here, where he'll be sharing the latest news about the Seattle Seahawks and talking with fans.

Published Jan 31, 2024

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.