RENTON — Seahawks general manager John Schneider had barely finished his first news conference of the post-Pete Carroll era Tuesday when two more names were announced as the team's possible next coaches.
The two names added to the list on Tuesday were Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. The NFL's official media arm, NFL Network, reported both names on Tuesday and said the Seahawks had made requests for an interview with both.
It was previously reported that Seattle has requested permission to speak to six other NFL assistants – Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Under league rules, teams can conduct virtual interviews with NFL assistants this week and begin in-person interviews on Monday, but only with coaches from teams that have completed their seasons (i.e., not teams that reach the conference title game).
Schneider said the Seahawks would begin interviews Wednesday. It's likely Seattle will conduct virtual interviews this week with the goal of inviting in-person candidates next week.
Teams can talk to college coaches or unemployed people at any time. But Seattle hasn't been linked to a coach who fits those descriptions.
Schneider said there is no limit to how many coaches the Seahawks can interview.
“Too many isn’t too many,” Schneider said, adding that the team will approach this the way it handles the free agency process — trying to be a part of anything and everything.
Here's a look at the two newest names:
Johnson
Johnson, 37, has been the Lions' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons and in all three years of Detroit's resurgence under coach Dan Campbell, beginning with the title of passing game coordinator in 2021.
Johnson was a walk-on quarterback at North Carolina under John Bunting and Butch Davis from 2004 to 2007 before taking up coaching. He earned degrees in mathematics and computer science.
He served in various roles at Miami from 2012 to 2018, all on offense, ending 2018 as receivers coach. In 2019, he joined Matt Patricia's team in Detroit as offensive quality control coach.
Johnson received a lot of credit for helping Detroit become one of the NFL's best offensive players. The Lions finished fourth and fifth in yards and points in 2022 and third and fifth in 2023.
Johnson also reportedly has a virtual interview with Washington this week.
Slowik
Slowik, 36, is finishing his first season as coordinator in Houston, where he led an offense led by rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. The Texans finished 12th in points and 13th in yards this season and reached the divisional round of the playoffs.
Slowik served with the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan from 2017 to 2022 in various roles, including passing game coordinator in 2022. He received recognition for helping move Brock Purdy from reserve to starter.
He was also an offensive assistant (2019-20) and defensive quality control coach (2017-18) with the 49ers.
Slowik was at Washington as a defensive assistant under Mike Shanahan from 2011 to 2013 and was part of a staff that also included Kyle Shanahan, current Rams coach Sean McVay, Morris, current Packers coach Matt LaFleur and current Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel belonged.
As such, he would be intimately familiar with the offenses and schemes of the 49ers and Rams, the teams that represent Seattle's biggest obstacles in the NFC West.
Slowik is the son of Bob Slowik, a long-time college, NFL and CFL assistant who plays for the Calgary Stampeders.
Bob Slowik served, among other things, as defensive coach for the Packers from 2000 to 2003 and as defensive coordinator in 2004. That meant he crossed paths with Schneider, who worked in Green Bay's human resources department from 2002 to 2010.
Bobby Slowik graduated from Green Bay Southwest High School. He played receiver at Michigan Tech, a Division II school in Houghton, Michigan, where he also studied biomedical engineering.
According to his Houston Texans bio, his brother Steve is an area scout for the 49ers, and another brother, Ryan, is the outside linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins. His mother, Carol, was a track and field coach for various college programs and the U.S. Olympic Festival team.
Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or [email protected]; on twitter: @bcondotta. Bob Condotta covers the Seahawks for the Seattle Times. He reports on the team daily throughout the year.