The Seahawks announced seven additions to Mike Macdonald’s coaching staffc this week, including defensive coordinator Aden Durde, who comes to Seattle following three seasons as the Cowboys’ defensive line coach. Here are five numbers of note about Seattle’s new defensive coordinator:
1
British defensive coordinator in the NFL: Aden Durde. Durde also became the NFL’s first British full-time coach while with the Falcons, starting out as part of the league’s Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellowship program before becoming a defensive quality control coach, then outside linebackers coach, all under then Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. Durde would then join Quinn in Dallas as the team’s defensive line coach for the past three seasons.
6
Seasons spent by Durde playing linebacker in NFL Europe, spending time with the Scottish Claymores and Hamburg Sea Devils, with whom he captured the NFL Europa World Bowl XV Championship. Durde also spent time in training camp with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs before beginning his coaching career back in London.
46
Sacks recorded by the Cowboys, with the Durde-coached defensive line leading the way. That total ranked third in the NFC behind the 49ers and Seahawks and the advanced stats paint an even better picture. Dallas ranked first in the NFL both ESPN’s (59 percent) and Pro Football Focus’ (60.3 percent) pass-rush win rate metrics, and PFF also ranked the Cowboys first in pressure rate (42.2 percent) and second in pass-rush grade (90.8).
19.9
Points allowed per game by the Cowboys defense from 2021-2023, Durde’s three seasons as the defensive line coach working with Quinn. Prior to the changes in the defensive coaching staff, the Cowboys ranked 28th in scoring defense in 2020.
18
NFL players currently on NFL rosters who came out of the league’s International Player Pathway Program, five of whom—Jordan Mailata, Jakob Johnson, Efe Obada, Sammis Reyes and David Bada—have been on active rosters. Durde, who at the time was working with NFLUK as the head of football development, along with former NFL standout Osi Umenyiora, helped get the International Player Pathway Program off the ground in order to create more opportunities for players overseas.