The Seahawks made changes to their strength and conditioning program for the 2019 season, hiring Ivan Lewis as the team's head strength and conditioning coach. Joining Lewis on the strength and conditioning staff are strength and conditioning assistants Jamie Yanchar, Mark Philipp, Thomas Garcia and Grant Steen.
The team also promoted David Stricklin to head athletic trainer, replacing Donald Rich. Stricklin has been with the Seahawks since 2010 as an assistant athletic trainer, and before that was an athletic trainer at Oregon State.
The Seahawks also added two assistants on offense, offensive assistant Austin Davis and assistant wide receivers coach Brad Idzik. Steve Shimko, who joined the Seahawks last year as an offensive assistant, will take on the title of assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019. Â
This will be Lewis' second time working with head coach Pete Carroll, having previously served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at USC from 2006-2008 under Chris Carlisle, who was Seattle's head strength conditioning coach from 2010-2018.
Lewis, 40, spent the last five seasons as USC's head strength and conditioning coach. Before that he held that same position at the University of Washington from 2009-2013, and in 2013 he was named the Samson Equipment/American Football Monthly FBS Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.
Lewis previously spent time on the strength staff of the San Diego Chargers in 2004 and 2005, and before that spent two years at the University of San Diego where he earned his master's degree in leadership studies. Lewis, who is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is certified by USA Weightlifting, was also an assistant football coach and strength and conditioning coach at Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie.
Joining Lewis from USC is Philipp, who was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at USC last year, and before that was Nebraska's head football strength coach from 2015 to 2017 under head coach Mike Riley. Philipp also worked with Riley as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Oregon State from 2009-2013. Philipp moved to USC in 2013 where he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Steen, a former standout linebacker at the University of Iowa, also worked with Lewis at USC, and has also spent time at the University of Washington, Stanford University and the University of Minnesota.
Yanchar, who served as a strength and conditioning assistant under Carlisle, will return for the 2019 season in that same role. Garcia previously was a member of the Seahawks' sport science department since 2013.
Davis, who served as Russell Wilson's backup in 2017, returns to Seattle to begin his coaching career. The 29-year-old Davis will work under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was Davis' coordinator during his most successful year as a player, the 2014 season in which he started eight games for the St. Louis Rams, throwing 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 63.4 percent of his passes. Davis spent the 2018 season with the Tennessee Titans, and was released earlier this month.
Idzik, a Mercer Island High School graduate who played receiver at Wake Forest, comes to the Seahawks from Stanford, where he was an offensive graduate assistant. He is the son of John Idzik, who served as Seattle's vice president of football administration from 2007 to 2012 before becoming the general manager of the New York Jets in 2013.
Take a look back at some of the best game action images from the Seahawks' 2018 season.
Seahawks returner Tyler Lockett speeds up the right sideline on a kickoff return.
Seahawks receiver Brandon Marshall falls into the end zone with a touchdown reception in the third quarter.
Seahawks tight end Will Dissly offers a stiff arm on a gain in the first quarter.
Running back Chris Carson runs to the outside.
Quarterback Russell Wilson looks for a receiver during the third quarter.
Seattle's David Moore catches a touchdown pass as Seahawks linemen Germain Ifedi, Justin Britt, J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker celebrate in the background.
Seattle's Jaron Brown leaps high to catch a touchdown pass in the first quarter.
Receiver Doug Baldwin hauls in a 42-yard pass completion from Russell Wilson in the second quarter.
Seattle tight end Ed Dickson dives for the end zone for a touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Russell Wilson.
Seattle fullback Tre Madden dives for the end zone but is stopped short in the second quarter.
Seahawks receivers Tyler Lockett, David Moore, Doug Baldwin and Jaron Brown pose after Lockett's touchdown.
Seattle's Bobby Wagner celebrates a fourth down stop.
Seahawks kicker Sebastian Janikowski and holder Michael Dickson shake hands after a successful field goal try while Vikings defender Harrison Smith reacts.
Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman scores after recovering a fumble by Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks tight end Nick Vannett dives for the end zone on a one-yard touchdown reception from Russell Wilson.
Seattle's Ed Dickson dives across the middle to corral a touchdown pass from Russell Wilson in the third quarter.
Seahawks Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, David Moore, Mike Davis, Nick Vannett and Justin Britt pose for the Sunday Night Football cameras after Csrson's touchdown late in the game gave Seattle a ten point lead.
Seattle's Frank Clark celebrates after sacking Arizona's Josh Rosen.
