A former college quarterback, Darrell Bevell has been an NFL offensive coordinator since 2006. (Getty)
Darrell Bevell was a 4-year starting quarterback at Wisconsin. Now, as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator, he’s got another Badger leading his offense into Sunday’s Super Bowl vs. the New England Patriots.
Bevell, Russell Wilson and rest of the Seahawks defend their title against the Pats Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
A veteran and innovative play-caller, Bevell, 45, certainly has gotten the attention of team’s with head coaching vacancies. It hasn’t led to a job yet, but his time will surely come.
Bevell did receive a raise and a contract extension after the 2013 season, though terms of the deal were not made public.
Here’s what you need to know about Bevell:
1. Bevell Was a 4-Year Starter at Wisconsin
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Bevell was a 4-year starter at Wisconsin, playing in 45 games and throwing 59 touchdowns against 39 interceptions.
He completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 7,686 yards.
Bevell’s best season came in his sophomore year. He completed 187 of 276 passes (67.8%) for 2,390 yards, 19 TDs and 11 INTs. He also ran for 2 of his career 3 rushing TDs that season. The touchdowns, yards and completion percentage were all career-highs. The TDs and completion percentage led the Big Ten for the season.
2. He Scored The Winning Touchdown in The 1994 Rose Bowl
In his senior season, Bevell led Wisconsin to its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1963.
Bevell made arguably the biggest play of his college career in the 4th quarter of that game vs. UCLA. The Badgers held a 14-10 lead with a few minutes left. Bevell, not known for his running ability, dropped back to pass but the pocket collapsed. He avoided the sack, then went down the left sideline to score a 22-yard touchdown.
Wisconsin won 21-16, its first-ever Rose Bowl win, and finished the season 10-1-1. The Badgers finished 6th in the AP Poll.
Bevell went undrafted and never played in the NFL.
3. Bevell Is a Mormon
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After graduating from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, Bevell attended Northern Arizona, where he redshirted as a freshman. Brad Childress was NAU’s offensive coordinator.
Bevell then left for a 2-year Latter Day Saints mission to Cleveland. After the mission, he received scholarship offers from NAU and Utah, but he decided to on Wisconsin.
All Mormon missionaries serve voluntarily and do not receive a salary. They usually finance missions themselves.
Bevell is married to Tammy and they have 3 children – Kylie, Morgan and Hailey.
4. Bevell Has Been an NFL Offensive Coordinator Since 2006
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Bevell began his coaching career in 1996 at Westmar University as the QB coach/passing game coordinator, then moved onto Iowa State (1997, graduate assistant) and UConn (1998-99, wide receivers coach). Then the NFL came knocking.
His first NFL job was with the Packers. Bevell was the assistant QB coach from 2000-02 then the QB coach from 2003-05, when he worked with Brett Favre.
In 2006 his old NAU coach Brad Childress was hired as the head coach of the Vikings and Bevell was signed on as the offensive coordinator, a role he had until 2010. Childress was fired midway through the 2010 season and replaced by Leslie Frazier. Frazier did not retain Bevell the following season and Pete Carroll grabbed him. Bevell has been the Seattle offensive coordinator since the 2011 season.
5. He Interviewed for The Raiders Head Coaching Job
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Seahawks head coach acknowledged Bevell interviewed for the then-vacant Oakland Raiders job in late December.
Assistants can’t be offered jobs from other teams while his current team is still playing. Bevell has received interest from teams before and may have had a head coaching job if not for Seattle’s recent postseason success.
Jack Del Rio was eventually hired by the Raiders.
Bevell has interviewed for the Arizona, Jacksonville and Chicago jobs over the past few seasons.
