NFL: Seattle hires Bevell as off. coordinator

RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Pete Carroll wasted little time filling the most prominent opening on his coaching staff, making Darrell Bevell the Seattle Seahawks' new offensive coordinator on Thursday.

Bevell, the offensive coordinator in Minnesota the past five seasons, replaces Jeremy Bates, who was fired on Tuesday after just one season in Seattle.

Bevell was not retained by for new coach Leslie Frazier's staff with the Vikings. Minnesota hired Bill Musgrave to be its new offensive coordinator.

Before joining the Vikings staff, Bevell spent six seasons with the Packers, including the final three seasons as quarterbacks coach. Bevell worked one season with Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in Green Bay before Hasselbeck was traded to the Seahawks.

Bevell's hiring was first reported by ESPN.com and later confirmed by the team. He becomes the fourth offensive coordinator in the last four seasons in Seattle.

Bevell is the second major hire this week by Carroll as he tries to fix Seattle's woeful offense. On Tuesday, the Seahawks hired former Raiders coach Tom Cable as an assistant head coach in charge of the offensive line.

Seattle averaged just 89 yards rushing per game this season and its inability to run consistently was a sore spot with Carroll.

Bates was fired for what Carroll termed "philosophical differences." Bates came with Carroll from Southern California to run the Seahawks offense, but struggled to find success. The offense ranked 28th overall in the league during the regular season.

Carroll said Wednesday that Bates' firing was due to a different vision for the offense.

"We just saw things differently," Carroll said. "As we were going to move ahead I had some thoughts as to how I wanted to go, and I think this was the best thing at the time to do."