The Seattle Seahawks have made a significant coaching change, bringing in a new offensive line coach to work alongside their recently hired offensive coordinator.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, John Benton has been tapped to replace Scott Huff, signaling the end of Huff’s tenure despite no official announcement regarding his departure.
Benton brings nearly three decades of experience coaching offensive lines at both the collegiate and professional levels. In the NFL, he served as Kyle Shanahan’s offensive line coach from 2017 to 2020 before joining Robert Saleh’s New York Jets staff in 2021. After being let go in 2022, Benton took a hiatus from coaching in 2023 before being hired by the New Orleans Saints in 2024. His extensive résumé also includes stints with the St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, and Miami Dolphins.
Benton’s longest NFL tenure was with the Texans, coinciding with Gary Kubiak’s reign as head coach. Notably, Seattle’s new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, is Gary’s son, making this a logical hire.
Field Gulls’ analyst John P. Gilbert had predicted this move, citing Kubiak’s past coaching connections:
“Given Kubiak’s history, don’t be surprised if Seattle announces the hire of John Benton in the coming days. The Saints made a similar move in 2024, bringing in Benton shortly after hiring Klint, largely due to Benton’s experience with the system and his familiarity with the Kubiak coaching tree.”
Though Benton and Klint Kubiak hadn’t previously worked together before the 2024 season in New Orleans, Benton spent four years (2017-2020) as San Francisco’s offensive line coach under Kyle Shanahan. During his time there, he played a key role in developing talents like Mike McGlinchey and Laken Tomlinson.
Benton’s impact extends beyond San Francisco. During his tenure with the Texans from 2006 to 2013, he helped transform first-round pick Duane Brown into a three-time Pro Bowl left tackle. He also played a role in developing other notable linemen, including Brandon Brooks, Ben Brown, and Eric Winston.
As for Scott Huff, speculation suggests he may reunite with former Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb at the University of Alabama. Like Grubb, Huff had no prior NFL experience before joining Seattle, and his brief tenure underwhelmed enough for new head coach Mike Macdonald to make a change.
