Aden Durde, defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, will become the first British‑born coach in a coordinator position in a Super Bowl when Seattle faces the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, at Levi’s Stadium.
Born in Middlesex, Durde began his playing career in the U.K. with the Hayes Braves and London Olympians before playing as a linebacker in NFL Europe with the Scottish Claymores and Hamburg Sea Devils, winning the World Bowl with Hamburg in 2007.
Durde also had a stint on both the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs practice squads as part of the NFL International Development Practice Squad program.
After his playing career ended, Durde transitioned into coaching, spending six seasons as defensive coordinator of the London Warriors in the British American Football Association. He also founded and led the NFL International Player Pathway Program (IPP), identifying talented athletes from across the globe and giving them opportunities to land on NFL Practice Squads. This program resulted in players like Efe Obada (U.K.), Jordan Mailata (Australia), Jakob Johnson (Germany) earning roles on NFL rosters.
Through the success of the IPP program, Durde was provided the opportunity to participate in coaching internships with the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons, who hired him to his first full-time coaching role in the NFL as a defensive quality control coach in 2018.
Durde’s NFL coaching rise included a stint as outside linebackers coach with Atlanta, followed by three seasons as defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2024, new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald hired Durde as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, helping build one of the league’s top defensive units across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
He is recognized as the first full‑time NFL coach to have developed his entire playing and coaching career outside the United States, marking a significant milestone for international pathways into the league.
Now on the sport’s biggest stage, Durde’s journey highlights the continued growth of British talent in the NFL and the expanding opportunities for international players and coaches.
Aden Durde and the Seattle Seahawks can be followed in Super Bowl LX, with kick-off at 11:30pm on Sunday 8 February. UK viewers can watch free-to-air on Channel 5, with coverage also available for Sky Sports subscribers on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports NFL. The game will be streamed on DAZN via NFL Game Pass, with live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT.
