Brian Fleury entered the season as the Seattle Seahawks’ first-year offensive coordinator and has drawn praise for his steady demeanor. Quarterback Sam Darnold described Fleury as stoic, according to ESPN, a trait that surfaced immediately when Darnold exited the opener with a glute injury and backup Drew Lock guided a fourth-quarter comeback that ended in a 13-10 victory.
Lock credited Fleury with providing a calming presence in the headset during the game, according to ESPN. After producing a tying play-action touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a subsequent field-goal drive, Lock said he appreciated having consistent leadership during the unexpected stretch.
The offense’s structure has not dramatically changed from the system run by Klint Kubiak, who left to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach, according to ESPN. The question for Seattle is whether Fleury can preserve the unit’s championship-level identity while running play-calling for the first time at any level, ESPN reports.
Through five weeks, Fleury’s group ranks eighth in scoring at 26.8 points per game but sits 25th in expected points added and 26th in ESPN’s efficiency metric, per ESPN. Turnovers and a limited running game stand out as the primary issues: Darnold has thrown five interceptions in the three games since his Week 3 return, and the backfield is hampered by injuries to rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price (chest) and Zach Charbonnet (knee), according to ESPN.
Coach Mike Macdonald offered guarded praise, saying Fleury has sought solutions and led the offensive staff while noting the need for clearer game plans and better execution, according to ESPN. Fleury’s coaching trajectory dates back to a 13-0, state-championship season in high school in 1997; he walked on at Maryland, transferred to Towson, and drew early coaching praise from then-Towson coach Gordy Combs, ESPN reports.
