Michael Lombardi of NFL Network is reporting that Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates has been fired today.
UPDATE: The team confirmed this report, which is a surprising move by Pete Carroll.
Bates was with Seattle for only one season and had coached with Carroll for one season at USC. Bates had been the subject of criticism of late for his emphasis on pushing the ball down the field in the passing game, which did not seem to jibe with veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s reliance on the short passing game.
Bates’ calls on 4th and short situations had come under scrutiny, and also the team’s inability to run the ball effectively.
Bates’ close friend, quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch also recently leaving the team and taking the offensive coordinator position at the University of Miami may have been a sign that Carroll was moving in a different direction.
So Seattle will have its fourth straight different offensive coordinator once the 2011 season begins, whenever that happens.
Make that Fisch, Gray, Quinn and Bates…
McDaniels anyone?
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Wow, didn’t see this one coming.
Welcome to the offseason. Did you expect anything less?
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Yet the defensive coordinator who has presided over historically bad defenses for 2 years running has a job!
Sometimes I wonder if this historically bad defense is Carroll’s defense which makes we wonder about his transition to the pro game. The talent isn’t good, but it’s not historically bad either.
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Wow. Pretty shocking move. I would have thought Bradley was much more likely to get canned. There is no question that the Hawk offense too often was pathetic this year, but I really saw it as a player personnel issue more than anything. Hard to look goo when you have arguably the worst O line in the NFL.
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There’s still plenty of time to can Bradley. The first work-day after our season ends and they’re already making moves. So much for taking time off and getting away for a while, which is what Eric thought they would do.
I bet they were scouting players on the plane trip home.
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Woah. This is crazy. I actually thought Bates’ playbook was good, just not for the players we have. I would think the defensive coordinator would have been a more likely dismissal.
I’d say this isn’t good for Matt as he seems to need consistency. This is going to make it harder for him, should they decide to keep him.
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pubuwal, I think the problem this season was that PC does not have the type of guys to play the defense he likes. Think he needs more physical corners that can press the receivers and the need to find someone that can pressure the QB. I am pretty sure that CB and DE will be high priorities.
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It won’t be a problem for Matt if they hire zorn as OC.
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Audible says:
January 18, 2011 at 11:30 am
It won’t be a problem for Matt if they hire zorn as OC.
TRUE!!
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Pete must have someone lined up for the job. Still surprising because the offense ended the season well.
Adios, Bates. We hardly knew ye.
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Yeah this might actually be good for Hasselbeck.
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I wonder if Bradley is next…the fact that his assistants are leaving suggests he may be on shaky ground.
Baltimore got eliminated, so that could explain the timing of the Bates firing.
It could be Carroll has his eye on a DC prospect from one of the remaining four teams.
I think the poor showing on Sunday by the offense sealed his fate.
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Audible said “It won’t be a problem for Matt if they hire zorn as OC.”
I agree, Audible. And I actually think this will be good for Hasselbeck if they bring in the “right” guy to fill in, and good for the future of the franchise if they can establish some consistency. Have 4 different OCs in as many years does not translate to production nor success on offense.
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So names being thrown out there that I have seen from MBs and Blogs are Zorn, McDaniels, and Chow(is he with UCLA now?)…
Any preferences or other names anyone is hearing?
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Adam Schefter says the Seahawks are talking to Josh McDaniels.
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Good! This proves Carroll is serious when he says that everyone in the organization must compete, improve, win, or leave. Bates never seemed to figure out what he wanted to do with this offense.
McDaniels might be a great replacement (as long as they keep him away from microphones and cameras and control of the roster). With a strong coach personality like Carroll running the show, McDaniels might be great. He’s innovative and fiery and seems like a good fit with Carroll.
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Interesting…if they hire Josh McDaniels, I wonder if he would try to work out a trade with Denver for Tim Tebow.
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Agree that McDaniels was too young and immature to be a HC but he’s proven his moxie as a OC and would not be a bad choice. let the Tebow rumors begin.
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I also think Eric needs to change the Banner to read…
Seahawk’s Insider where Pete Carroll refuses to let us have a day off.
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I hope that Tebow is never considered an option for the Hawks.
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Can it be that McDaniels preferred to come to Seattle (which would explain why the St. Louis talks blew up?) Or is it the other way around (Seattle is McDaniels’ rebound from the St. Louis breakdown?)
If two completely independent coaches have confidence in Bradley, I’d say there’s something positive about the guy. I think he is viewed as a bright, capable person who still needs seasoning. That’s why two primarly defensive oriented head coaches have brought him on as coordinator. The defenses still primarily are the product of Carroll’s philosophies, with Bradley implementing them and doing most of the hands-on work. It’s the same deal as Holmgren bringing on Pat Shurmur in Cleveland. Shurmur probably is not quite experienced enough to be a head coach for most situations, but with Holmgren to guide and assist, he can learn on the job and grow into the role.
Clearly Carroll and Mora independently thought Bradley has that growth potential, and I don’t think Carroll brings in a highly experienced D-coordinator that doesn’t mesh with his own defensive philosophies, the same way Holmgren searched for someone that aligned with his offensive philosophies.
Where there’s smoke though there’s fire – is there more of a story behind the high assistant turnover rate? Especially from a 7-9 team?
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Why blame Bates for the lack of receivers with good hands?
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Rotoworld sez Hawks OC’s gonna be Josh McDaniels!(?) How real is that? That’s not a simple move – from Bates to McDaniels.
1st thing McDaniels did was end DEN’s ZBing OL (which could be a good thing for SEA (?) – especially at a time when so many OLers are FAs). Also interesting that John Fox is s’posed to be bringing their OL blocking scheme back to ZBing – trading partner? By Football Outsiders DVOA stats http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamoff DEN ranked 15th in overall offense (compared to SEA’s 29th rank.) DEN’s running ranked 30th in ’10 (with Knowshon Moreno, C.Buckhalter, L.Ball & L.Maroney) and 22nd in ’09. SEA’s rushing ranked 28th in ’10. Changing their blocking scheme must have hurt DEN some(?) Does SEA go back to man-blocking? SEA can’t get much worse at run blocking as it is.
With Kyle Orton as their starting QB and with Tim Tebow starting when Orton got hurt vs Jay Cutler, and with 6-0/194 Brandon Lloyd in lieu of 6-4/230 Brandon Marshall, DEN’s passing ranked 9th (C.Weiss-type offense, sim to Pats). SEA’s passing ranked 29th. DEN’s better passing wasn’t due to better OL pass-pro either, SEA’s OL allowed 35 sacks, DEN’s OL allowed 40. DEN did it with scheme. Maybe SEA’s passing game will improve with the WRs we already have?
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Wow the way that the media was talking about Bates after the Saints win made you think that Master Bates was the talk of the town!
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“Master Bates”
Hehehe.
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Bates wasn’t out there failing at run blocking or dropping passes. His aggressive playcalling against the Saints were part of the reason we won. This is a baffling decision.
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Shocker. YES. But management makes their decisions on the previous 4 qtrs.
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“Why blame Bates for the lack of receivers with good hands?”
Or a quarterback that can’t throw the ball more than 20 yards downfield.
This sounds a bit like scapegoating to me. That’s what Andy Reid did to his DC Sean McDermott, instead of admitting the Eagles just weren’t really that good and their DL is overrated. But yeah, I’d like to see Gus Bradley get the ax. Said from the get-go that keeping any of Mora’s coaches was a mistake, now Quinn is gone. One down, one to go. Mora is going to be the Broncos DC? Gawd I wish we played them next year.
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You are the same guy that complained about play-calling several times throughout the season, no?
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“Or a quarterback that can’t throw the ball more than 20 yards downfield.”
This is hyperbole bordering on the stupid.
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