Sean Desai interviews for Browns defensive coordinator position
The Browns are interviewing Seattle Seahawks associate head coach/defense Sean Desai for their defensive coordinator position on Monday, the team announced.
Desai is the fourth individual the Browns have spoken with about the vacancy created when they fired Joe Woods at the end of the season. He was one of the first individuals, though, they had requested permission to speak with when the job opened.
Monday was the first opportunity the Browns had to speak with Desai due to the Seahawks’ participation in the NFC playoffs last weekend. Seattle lost to the San Francisco 49ers 41-23 in a wild-card game last Saturday.
Desai, 39, just completed his first season with the Seahawks, where he reunited with Seattle defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt. The two had worked together with the Chicago Bears from 2014-16 when Desai was a defensive quality control coach and Hurtt was assistant defensive line coach before moving to outside linebackers coach.
“How he teaches is definitely clear and concise, which is a very important thing,” Hurtt said of Desai to Seahawks.com. “But also, as a teacher, he’s always thinking ahead. What is the next issue that’s going to come up, how people are going to attack you when you’re doing things a certain way. He’s very ahead when it comes to that, just thinking what is the next formula to come up with to solve the next problem? It makes him very unique.”
While the Seahawks’ defense was ranked 25th or lower in total yards, rushing yards and points allowed, the area of expertise for Desai, pass defense, was where they were the best statistically. Seattle allowed just 211.5 passing yards a game, which ranked 13th in the league.
Desai has a season of experience as a defensive coordinator, having served in that capacity with the Bears in 2021, Matt Nagy’s final season as their head coach. Chicago’s defense ranked sixth in the league allowing 316.7 yards per game. and third in the league against the pass at 191.6 yards a game.
The Bears were 22nd in points allowed at 23.9 per game and 23rd against the run at 125.1 yards a game that season. They finished 6-11 as a team.
Desai entire NFL experience prior to going to Seattle was with Chicago, where he was a defensive quality control coach from 2013-18 and then safeties coach from 2019-20 before being elevated to the coordinator’s job in 2021. During that time, he worked under defensive coordinators Mel Tucker (2013-14), Vic Fangio (2015-18) and Chuck Pagano (2019-20).
While in Chicago, Desai also worked alongside current Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, then the Bears’ defensive backs coach, from 2015-18. He also spent two years working with current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who replaced Hurtt has Chicago’s outside linebackers coach in 2017-18.
The Browns have already spoken to Tennessee Titans senior defensive assistant Jim Schwartz, Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach — and former Miami Dolphins head coach — Brian Flores and Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Dennard Wilson about the vacancy. They requested permission to speak to New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, but the Patriots announced last Thursday they were finalizing a long-term deal to keep Mayo with their organization.
Flores is also expected to interview with the Arizona Cardinals for their head-coaching vacancy, as well as for the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator position. Wilson, meanwhile, can’t speak again with the Browns until either the Eagles’ playoff run is over or Jan. 30, whichever comes first.
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