Darrell Bevell Is Now a Top NFL Head Coaching Candidate
By Brad Berreman
@bradberreman24
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
During Thursday night’s NFL season opener, we got a glimpse of what the Seattle Seahawks’ offense looks like when everyone is healthy. More specifically, wide receiver Percy Harvin looked to be at full strength after playing just one regular season game in 2013 and that opened up Seattle’s playbook in a way that was not possible for most of last season.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell deserves a ton of credit for the development of quarterback Russell Wilson, and Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll deserves credit for allowing Bevell to take the reigns of the offense without obvious interference. But that is also not too surprising, given how Carroll runs the on-field operation in Seattle.
Bevell has interviewed for multiple head coaching openings over the last two hiring cycles, and he’s sure to be widely interviewed again after the 2014 season. There are definitely worse things than being offensive coordinator for a perennial playoff and Super Bowl contender, but it’s only a matter of time before Bevell becomes a head coach.
Bevell started his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Green Bay Packers in 2000, and he eventually served as quarterbacks coach there from 2003-2005. Being Brett Favre’s position coach will garner attention in league circles, which led Bevell to becoming offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 2006.
Serving as offensive coordinator under a control-freak head coach like Brad Childress made Bevell a nominee for sainthood, and he held that post through 2010. Childress liked to maintain some control over play-calling and overall offensive philosophy, often to the detriment of everyone involved, and when Leslie Frazier chose not to retain Bevell his path to another opportunity was cleared.
That chance came with the Seahawks when Carroll hired Bevell as offensive coordinator in January of 2011, and slowly but surely the team’s offense has become a mix of run-oriented ball control, multi-faceted formations that keep defenses off-balance and explosive plays when the opportunities come. Bevell has shown adaptability and imagination, which is something Vikings’ fans never got to see with Childress effectively clipping his wings.
Bevell’s desire to leave for a head coaching job should largely be a function of what opportunities are available after the season, and frankly it wouldn’t surprise me to see him stay in Seattle if there is not a good fit elsewhere. If the right college head coaching job were available I suppose Bevell would have to listen, but I think he’s better off waiting for an NFL opportunity that is sure to come soon.
Brad Berreman is a Columnist at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.
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