After winning the Super Bowl, Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t slowing down. While most championship teams look to poach from other NFL staffs, Mike Macdonald is tapping into a different talent pipeline that has produced some of the game’s legends. The new addition to his staff is a coach with an HBCU background.

The Seahawks have added Johnathan Williams to their staff as an offensive assistant after he spent last season as the offensive coordinator at HBCU program South Carolina State. While the move may surprise some, Williams impressed during his short stint with the Bulldogs. Under his leadership, South Carolina State finished with a 10-3 record and averaged 32.4 points per game last season.

Williams also brings several years of experience in college football. He has spent eight seasons coaching at the college level. In 2024, he led Benedict College to an 11-1 record and a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Before that, he spent two seasons at Southern University as the quarterbacks coach from 2022 to 2023. With that background, it is easy to see why Macdonald wanted him on the staff.

The Seahawks needed more help on the offensive side after Klint Kubiak left to take the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders. While Williams’ addition alone will not replace Kubiak’s departure, he does bring valuable experience to the offensive staff. The main solution came earlier with the hiring of Brian Fleury as offensive coordinator, while Williams’ arrival further strengthens the coaching group.

Several other coaching changes have also been made by the Seahawks this offseason. Those changes include Daniel Stern as pass-game strategist, Zachary Orr as the inside linebackers coach, and Thomas Hammock as senior offensive assistant and running backs coach. All three coaches have a previous relationship with Macdonald, having worked with him in Baltimore. There were also several role changes within the staff. Tyson Prince was promoted to quarterbacks coach, replacing Andrew Janocko, who left to become the Raiders’ offensive coordinator under Klint Kubiak. Offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz also received the title of quarterbacks coach.

This will be Williams’ first coaching role in the NFL, and it comes with the reigning Super Bowl champions. While his coaching career is still relatively unknown, Williams also had a solid college football career. It is important to take a look at that when looking at the newest addition to Mike Macdonald’s staff.

Johnathan Williams Personal Background and History

Williams began his coaching career at Prairie View A&M in 2018 as an assistant quarterbacks coach. He later took over the quarterbacks group from 2019 to 2021. After that, he continued his coaching journey with stints at Southern University, Benedict College, and South Carolina State. However, before becoming a coach, Williams had an impressive playing career as a quarterback.

Williams was one of the most productive quarterbacks in Grambling State University history. He led the SWAC in several major passing categories during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In 2015, he led the entire FCS in touchdown passes with 39 and was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. He also earned the Most Valuable Player award in the Bayou Classic against Southern three times.

Williams later graduated from Grambling State with a degree in engineering technology.