Source: Seahawks as RB coach from Hammock, Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock is set to join the Seattle Seahawks staff, ending his seven-year run at the helm of his alma mater, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Wednesday.

Hammock has accepted a job to become the Seahawks’ running backs coach/senior offensive assistant, sources said. He is expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid running backs coach and will choose Seattle over multiple NFL opportunities. Hammock interviewed for Seahawks offensive coordinator position; Seattle selected San Francisco tight ends coach and run game coordinator Brian Fleury for that job.

Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier announced Wednesday that Hammock is leaving the school for an NFL coaching position.

“Under Coach Hammock’s leadership, the Huskies football program has achieved historic milestones on the field as well as academically over the past seven seasons,” Frazier said in a statement. “His passion for NIU and commitment to youth development — on and off the field — will be his legacy; I know he has left a lasting impact on the players he coached and on his alma mater. His genuine love for NIU made the decision to leave at this time very difficult for him. A Hall of Famer, I look forward to him always joining the Huskies and thank everyone for what he has given NIU as we wish him the best in the future.”

The Huskies have promoted defensive coordinator Rob Harley to interim head coach for the 2026 season.

Hammock agreed to a contract extension with Northern Illinois in 2025 that ran through the 2029 season.

A former Northern Illinois running back, Hammock went 35-47 with the Huskies and won a Mid-American Conference title in 2021. He guided Northern Illinois to bowl games in 2023 and 2024 and helped Notre Dame win a signature in 2024, which was F-C-R’s only regular season loss.

“It has been the honor of my life to represent the Cardinals and Blacks of Northern Illinois University as a player, alumnus, assistant coach and head coach,” Hammock said in a statement.

Northern Illinois went 3-9 last season and is joining the Mountain West for football in the 2026 season.

Before returning to Northern Illinois, Hammock spent five seasons as the Baltimore Ravens running backs coach, where he worked with Seahawks coach Mike McDonald. Hammock coached running backs at Wisconsin and Minnesota, where he was co-offensive coordinator in 2010.