Hired on February 22, 2022, to be the team's defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach, Karl Scott enters the 2026 season in that same role, serving in that capacity in three of his four Seahawks seasons. Scott served one season (2021) as the defensive backs coach with the Vikings in his inaugural season in the NFL. Prior to Minnesota, he served as Alabama's cornerbacks coach from 2018-20.

Hired on February 22, 2022, to be the team's defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach, Karl Scott enters the 2026 season in that same role, serving in that capacity in three of his four Seahawks seasons. Scott served one season (2021) as the defensive backs coach with the Vikings in his inaugural season in the NFL. Prior to Minnesota, he served as Alabama's cornerbacks coach from 2018-20.

Last season, Scott led a productive Seahawks secondary that played a key role in the team's Super Bowl LX championship season. CB Devon Witherspoon earned AP All‑Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to begin his career with three consecutive Pro Bowl nominations. Scott also helped guide the development of rookie S Nick Emmanwori, who earned PFWA All‑Rookie Team honors after becoming the only player in the NFL to post at least 11 passes defended, eight tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks, while finishing with 81 tackles despite appearing in just 14 games. Overall, Seattle finished fifth in the NFL with 18 interceptions.

In 2024, Scott's defensive backs had another strong campaign as CB Devon Witherspoon became the fifth Seahawks player to begin his career with consecutive Pro Bowl nominations. CB Riq Woolen tied for the team lead with three interceptions and led Seattle with 14 passes defensed (T10th NFL).

Scott took part in the 2024 Coach Accelerator program in May of 2024 at the NFL Spring League Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. The Accelerator serves as a platform for clubs and owners to engage with qualified coaching candidates from diverse backgrounds. Candidates can build relationships with club owners and executives and further develop and hone their leadership skills. The program has successfully contributed to an increase in diverse candidates being interviewed for open positions, and many past participants have been promoted and hired into more senior coaching positions.

For the second consecutive season, another of Scott's rookie cornerbacks was up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration in 2023 fifth overall selection Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon led all rookies with 16 passes defensed (5th NFL), was named NFC Player of the Week 4, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for October, named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and selected to the Pro Bowl Games. He returned an interception at the N.Y. Giants 97 yards for a touchdown, good for the second-longest interception return in franchise history, and sixth-longest return overall. In that same game, he recorded 2.0 sacks, becoming the third rookie since 1982 with 2.0 sacks and a pick-six in a regular or postseason game.

In 2022, Scott helped lead the rapid development of rookie cornerbacks Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and first-year starter Michael Jackson. Woolen set a rookie franchise record and tied for first in the NFL with six interceptions while being named to the NFC Pro Bowl Games roster. He became the first Seattle defensive rookie to be named to the Pro Bowl since 2005 (LB Lofa Tatupu). Woolen was also the first rookie since 2000 and first player since 2016 (Marcus Peters) with at least 15 passes defensed, six interceptions and three fumble recoveries in a single season. Quandre Diggs was named to the NFC Pro Bowl Games for the third consecutive season, while registering four interceptions and became the only player in the NFL to record at least three interceptions in each of the past six seasons (2017-22).

Under Scott's guidance, Seattle made improvements in the passing game in 2022, including completions allowed per game (31st in NFL in 2021 to 10th in 2022), passing yards allowed per game (31st to 13th), and passing first downs allowed (32nd to 15th).

Scott played a big role in helping Minnesota's Harrison Smith garner his sixth Pro Bowl selection in 2021. Under Scott's leadership, Smith also tied his career high in sacks with 3.0, while registering 114 tackles, seven passes defensed and one interception. With Xavier Woods playing on a one-year deal, Scott assisted Woods in revitalizing his career, tying for the team-lead in interceptions with three and being the only Viking to play 100% of the team's snaps in 2021.

In 2020, Scott helped Alabama to a National Championship as the defense allowed just 19.4 points per game, ranking 13th in the nation. The Crimson Tide ranked third in the SEC in pass defense and opposing quarterbacks completed just 58.1% of passes, throwing 12 interceptions. Alabama finished the 2020 season leading the SEC in pass efficiency defense and scoring defense. Under Scott, CB Patrick Surtain II led the SEC with 12 pass breakups, en route to unanimous All-America honors and being drafted in the first round (ninth overall).

Scott tutored 2020 second round NFL draftee (51st overall) Trevon Diggs on one side and Surtain II on the other while senior Shyheim Carter manned the star position in 2019. Under Scott's direction, Alabama ranked fourth nationally and first in the SEC in pass efficiency defense (109.75), finishing with 17 interceptions and 50 pass breakups.

In 2018, Scott was charged with replacing five starters in the secondary from the Tide's 2017 National Championship team with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett, Levi Wallace and Tony Brown all off to the NFL. Led by consensus All-America safety Deionte Thompson, the Tide allowed just 22 passing touchdowns while intercepting 15 passes. Surtain II earned freshman All-America honors with 37 tackles and an interceptions.

Scott spent the 2016-17 seasons as the secondary coach at Texas Tech before being named the defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette in late December of 2017. In 2017, his unit posted an impressive turnaround, helping produce 29 turnovers, including 14 interceptions. He mentored All-Big 12 selections in Jah'Shawn Johnson and Justus Parker.

Prior to his time at Texas Tech, Scott spent one season (2015) as the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech under head coach Skip Holtz. He helped the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record and a second-place finish in the Western Division of Conference USA. Louisiana Tech defeated Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl as the Bulldogs finished eighth nationally in defensive touchdowns after forcing 22 turnovers, including 13 interceptions.

Scott worked at Southeastern Louisiana for three years, serving as the defensive coordinator in 2014 and linebackers coach in 2012-13. During his tenure with the Lions, he helped lead the program to back-to-back Southland Conference Championships (2013-14) and two NCAA Football Championship Division playoff appearances.

His 2014 defense at Southeastern led the Southland Conference in total defense while ranking seventh in the FCS. The Lions also led the nation in pass efficiency defense (94.3), and ranked fifth in red zone defense, eighth in scoring defense (17.7 ppg) and 11th in turnovers (28).

Scott's linebackers unit was a key factor in Southeastern's 2013 Southland Conference championship campaign. His corps benefited from the emergence of Cqulin Hubert, who was named Southland Defensive Player of the Year after recording 90 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss.

Before his time at Southeastern Louisiana, Scott served as recruiting coordinator/defensive backs/linebackers coach for four years at Tusculum College from 2008-11.

He made an immediate impact at Tusculum, as he mentored two all-conference selections in Justin Scott and Jarvis Littlejohn. Scott collected all-region honors following the 2008 season, establishing new school records for single-season (22) and career (51) tackles for loss while finishing the season with 113 tackles and 277 for his career.

Scott's coaching career began at Delta State as a graduate assistant in 2007. In his lone season at DSU, he helped lead the Statesman to a 10-2 record, a no. 10 final national ranking, Gulf South Conference championship and NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

A native of Houston, Scott played at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, where he earned his degree in exercise and sports studies in 2007. Scott and his wife Taron have two daughters, Kina Bailey and Kari Mae.