Seahawks Hire Greg Olson As Quarterbacks Coach, "A Great Get For Us"

Greg Olson has been hired as Seattle’s quarterbacks coach, replacing Dave Canales, who recently became the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay.

Feb 28, 2023 at 12:35 PM

John Boyle

Seahawks.com Senior Reporter

Coach Greg Olson of the Los Angeles Rams coaches before playing against the Los Angeles Chargers in a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. Rams won 29-22. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)

The Seahawks hired veteran NFL coach Greg Olson as their quarterbacks coach, adding a coach with more than two decades of experience to Pete Carroll's coaching staff.

Olson, a Richland, Washington native who played quarterback at Central Washington, replaces Dave Canales, who recently was named the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"That was a great get for us," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Greg brings such experience, really a quarterback guru guy. Everybody that I know that has ever coached with him loves the guy, and I can see why. We've already been together working and doing stuff. Dave Canales had been such a steady for us and been just part of our woodwork, and I don't mean to make light of that; he's been such a factor for me representing what we believe in and all that. So when you lose that, you don't know what's going to happen. Well, shoot, we hit with Greg Olson. So we feel very, very fortunate. I think he's going to be great for Geno (Smith). He's a real disciplinarian. He's a real fundamental guy, as well as he's creative as a coordinator, he's called plays, all that kind of stuff. He adds a ton to our staff."

Olson, who most recently worked for the Rams as a senior offensive assistant in 2022, was the Rams' quarterbacks coach in 2017 when he worked with current Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson. That season, Sean McVay's first in Los Angeles, saw the Rams improve from 4-12 the previous season to 11-5, going from last in the league in points scored to first. Under Olson's tutelage, Jared Goff earned Pro-Bowl honors for the first time in his career while averaging a league-high 12.9 yards per completion.

Olson has 13 years of experience as an offensive coordinator, having held that role with the Lions (2004-2005), Rams (2006-2007), Buccaneers (2008-2011), Raiders (2013-2014), Jaguars (2015-2016), and Raiders again (2018-2021).

And whether the Seahawks are able to bring back Geno Smith or add a rookie in the draft, or both, Carroll expects Olson to be a positive influence on that position group given his experience.

"Greg is a seasoned guy," Carroll said. "He's been through a lot of great players, coached a lot of tremendous guys early in their careers and all of that. So he adds a lot to that. And he's a real fundamentalist, he's a real disciplined fundamental guy. And he really believes in all the basics of the position. And that was just so fortunate of a get for us because it'll be great for Geno, it'll be great for Drew (Lock), it'll be great for a young guy. So Greg is one of those guys that's really, he's kind of a QB whisperer kind of guy. And so I'm hoping he can really be a factor."

After graduating from Central, Olson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Washington State before returning to his alma mater as Central's offensive coordinator where he coached future Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna. Olson then coached at Idaho for three seasons before becoming the quarterback coach at Purdue, where he coached future NFL quarterback Drew Brees. Olson then began his NFL career with the 49ers in 2001 as the quarterback coach.

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