Renton, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks have named Micheal Barrow linebackers coach, Brennan Carroll assistant offensive line coach, Lofa Tatupu assistant linebackers coach and promoted defensive backs coach Kris Richard to defensive coordinator, the team announced this afternoon.
Barrow was a second-round choice (47th overall) by the Houston Oilers in the 1993 NFL Draft and played 13 seasons with Houston (1993-96), Carolina (1997-99), the N.Y. Giants (2000-03), Washington (2004) and Dallas (2005). He recorded 1,125 tackles (792 solo), 43.0 sacks and two interceptions in 173 games with 153 starts. He advanced to Super Bowl XXXV with the N.Y. Giants after the 2000 season. Following his playing career in 2005, Barrow was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Homestead High School, his alma mater, and served the last eight seasons as linebackers coach at his alma mater, the University of Miami, where he played from 1989-92. In 1992, he earned All-America honors, was the Butkus Award runner-up and finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting. He was also the Big East Defensive Player of the Year and finished his career as the third-leading tackler in school history.
Carroll spent the previous four seasons at the University of Miami as its national recruiting coordinator and serving his first two seasons as tight ends coach before moving on to wide receivers coach in 2013. He began his coaching career in 2002 at USC and handled coaching duties as offensive assistant (2002-03), tight ends coach (2004-06) and tight ends/recruiting coordinator (2007-10).
Tatupu joins Seattle's coaching staff after a six-year career (2005-10) with the Seahawks after being drafted by the club in the second-round (45th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He started all 84 games played and tallied 551 tackles (412 solo), 8.5 sacks, 10 interceptions, 41 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He also played in nine postseason games with 66 tackles (46 solo), one sack, one interception, four passes defensed and one fumble recovery, in addition to playing in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season. His attempt at a comeback with Atlanta was cut short due to injuries before the 2012 season.
Richard joined Seattle's staff in 2010 after spending two seasons at USC as a graduate assistant/defensive backs coach. He takes over one of the best defenses over the past three seasons as it led the NFL in scoring defense for the third consecutive season (2012-14), becoming the first defense to accomplish that feat since the 1969-71 Purple People Eaters of the Minnesota Vikings, and third overall in NFL history. The Seahawks also became the fourth team in NFL history to lead the league in fewest points and yards allowed in back-to-back seasons, and first since the 1985-86 Chicago Bears.
