Brian Fleury is like a movie with no IP. People don’t really know what to think about the new Seahawks offensive coordinator because he’s never called plays before and he didn’t even start working on the side of the ball until 2020.
So he’s not Spider-Man and he’s definitely not The Odyssey. He’s a mystery box, which isn’t always a bad thing. Fleury might even be your next…Obsession.
One former NFL player who might be a little obsessed with Fleury is Steve Smith. During his preview of Seattle’s wide receiver room heading into 2026, Smith was especially effusive in his praise of the Fleury hire, which isn’t just unusual because it’s positive.
It’s unexpected because with a coach as inexperienced as Fleury, it’s hard to find anyone who is even willing to go on that limb. But Smith was excited to climb that coaching tree, saying that he’s far more excited about coaches who specialized as run coordinators than as pass coordinators:
“Smith: Here’s what I like about Brian Fleury being in his first time (as an offensive coordinator), with the Seahawks. Here's a little trend that I noticed out of the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay tree: What I've noticed, offensive coordinators who are tight ends coach and run game coordinator, in my humble opinion, seem to be really good coordinators.
James Palmer: Which ones did Brian Fleury [do] in San Francisco?
Smith: Yeah. Run game coordinator. So, first he was assistant linebackers coach, linebackers coach, then he went then he went to quality control on defense, then then he went to quality control on offense, and then he just switched. But the guys who are run game coordinators and tight end coaches from the Kyle Shanahan, man, they turn out to be pretty smart.
Because the run game coordinators and tight end coaches they can't get away from the blocking scheme. The blocking scheme is everything. So, they learn the offense inside and out, right?"
Soon after, Smith will point out that while Mike McDaniel had a ton of success calling plays in Miami (for a few seasons, at least) after working as Shanahan’s run game coordinator, whereas pass game coordinator Bobby Slowik is now bouncing around the league. Perhaps an unintentionally ironic comparison because Slowik is now the offensive coordinator for the Dolphins.
Smith also likes that Fleury comes from the tight end room, same as his former teammate and current broadcaster (and former Seahawk) Greg Olsen:
“Some of the best broadcasters in my humble opinion are the tight ends, right? And those fullbacks because they get you, like, Moose Johnson, right? Greg Olsen, some of these guys, they just are around so much of the play call, understanding the blocking scheme, the running game, blocking overall, pass game, they get everything.
And Fleury's been one of those guys. You put him in a category like Bobby Slowik. Bobby Slowik did the defensive things too, but he was not run game coordinator. Pass game coordinator. And pass game coordinators, man, they get hungry. They get hungry to throw the football. And run game coordinator Mike McDaniel. You ever heard of him? I have. Yeah. Fleury. Same. And who’s the other guy? Sean McVay. Tight ends coach and run game coordinator.”
It had me wondering if Steve Smith as an affinity for these coaches because of times he was more successful in his own career, and sure enough there is at least some correlation:
Smith started his career playing for Dan Henning, but the coach was already in his sixties at the time and this was long before teams split up run/pass game coordinator roles
Smith’s next OC, Jeff Davidson, had been an offensive line/tight ends coach for Bill Belichick’s Patriots
Smith had a resurgence under Rob Chudzinski, a tight ends coach
In 2014, Smith signed with the Ravens and had his final career 1,000-yard season. His OC? Gary Kubiak.
In fact, Mike Macdonald was on the staff too and he overlapped with Smith for three years. Leslie Frazier would even join the team in 2016, Smith’s final season before retiring.
So does he have a certain liking for Seattle’s coaching staff? Maybe.
It doesn’t make his points invalid. Smith shouts out Klint Kubiak and says that even though he was a pass game coordinator, his dad is Gary Kubiak so it doesn’t really count.
“Most of the other guys that are pass game coordinators, they have a blind spot. Right. Shane Waldron got a blind spot, right? But these run game coordinators — that why I think everything will be fine and it'll just take some adjustments for the Seattle Seahawks to really understand and for Brian Fleury to understand how to do things. But man, I’m really excited about this.”
Smith’s excitement for Fleury calling plays has me excited for Fleury calling plays when the Seahawks open the season against the Patriots in two and a half weeks.
Unfortunately, Smith also praised Jake Bobo, as this was recorded potentially just a day or two before his season-ending injury. Whether Bobo’s role is extremely valuable or just very useful, there are not a lot of guys who can do all the little things he does for the Seahawks.
I do think that Cody White is prepared for that call though, as he was one of several receivers I highlighted on Friday as players Seattle will lean on to fill in for Bobo and Tory Horton.
Another key to the success of the run game will be Jadarian Price. How significant is it that Price has missed over a week of practices? For a rookie running back, being able to read the offensive line and getting a feel for TIMING could be difficult to replicate in any other environment except live reps. That was really the thing that Kenneth Walker was the best at too:
Timing.
These are all variables that Fleury will have to figure out in real time during his first season. And as you know, the right offensive coordinator is never around for a long time. He’s only around for a good time.
Careful what you wish for.
