Ryan Grubb: Why i left Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama football staff for Seattle Seahawks

Ryan Grubb’s stint with Alabama football was brief, to say the least. Just a week after being introduced as the Crimson Tide’s new offensive coordinator, Grubb made his debut in Seattle as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator.

During his introductory news conference with the Seahawks, Grubb fielded various questions, including why he chose to join Mike Macdonald’s coaching staff in Seattle after initially following Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama.

Although Ryan Grubb was never formally announced as the offensive coordinator for Alabama, it was widely assumed that he would assume the role, given his history of following Kalen DeBoer through various coaching stops. This included stints at Sioux Falls (2007-09), Eastern Michigan (2014-16), Fresno State (2017-18, 2020-21), and Washington (2022-23).

Reflecting on his decision to join the Seahawks instead of staying with DeBoer at Alabama, Grubb expressed that the process was challenging. He had thought about it extensively and ultimately decided that if the right opportunity arose, he would pursue his goal of becoming an offensive coordinator. Despite wanting to support DeBoer as he started at Alabama, Grubb knew that joining the Seahawks was the right move for his career.

Grubb acknowledged the difficulty in describing the timing of his decision and admitted that the situation was tough. However, he expressed excitement for DeBoer’s new role at Alabama, confident that DeBoer would excel in his position.

Grubb explained that while he was being considered for the offensive coordinator position with the Seattle Seahawks under Mike Macdonald, the uncertainty of that opportunity led him to accept the offensive coordinator role at Alabama under Kalen DeBoer. He emphasized the need to continue progressing in his career and trusted that things would work out in the end.

His connection with Macdonald began the previous year at the NFL combine, where Macdonald was then the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Grubb didn’t anticipate transitioning from college to the NFL so quickly but had started building a relationship with Macdonald without any specific expectations. He recognized the rarity of his situation, being able to become an NFL coordinator in a city he already cherished.

Regarding his decision to bring Scott Huff, former offensive line coach at Washington and Alabama, to Seattle, Grubb highlighted the importance of continuity and familiarity, especially in the offensive line. He believed that Huff’s expertise and understanding of their system would greatly benefit the team in terms of installation and team cohesion.