Leslie Frazier joined the Seahawks staff as assistant head coach on February 13, 2024, and enters his 25th season as an NFL coach. He did not coach in the NFL in 2023 after spending six seasons with the Buffalo Bills as defensive coordinator (2017-19) and assistant head coach/defensive coordinator (2020-22).
In his six seasons as coordinator, his units ranked in the top-six in yards per game four times and in the top-two three times in points per game, finishing the season ranked first in the NFL in both yards allowed (272.8) and points allowed (17.0 ppg) in 2021.
Prior to serving one season (2016) as Baltimore's secondary coach, Frazier served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator from 2014-15. He helped Tampa rank 10th in yards per game in 2015, and to 36 sacks in 2014, the most in 10 seasons.
He was head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010-13 (interim for part of 2010) and their defensive coordinator from 2007-10. He was 21-32-1 as a head coach and led the Vikings to the postseason with a 10-6 record in 2012, when running back Adrian Peterson was named the NFL MVP. As the defensive coordinator, Frazier's squad finished in the top-10 three times (2008-10) in yards allowed, during his seven seasons in Minnesota, the Vikings pass rush tallied the NFL's most sacks (297) and second-most forced fumbles (114). In 2008, Minnesota's defense ranked No. 6 overall and No. 1 against the run, making the Vikings the first team since the 1970 merger to lead the league in rushing defense for three-straight seasons (2006-08). The team finished second against the run in 2009.
Frazier helped Indianapolis win Super Bowl XLI following the 2006 season while serving as the assistant to the head coach/defensive backs coach under Tony Dungy.
Frazier also served as the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator from 2003-04. He originally entered the NFL as a coach in 1999, working with defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-02). During Frazier's time with Philadelphia, he helped DB Troy Vincent (four) and S Brian Dawkins (three) earn multiple Pro Bowl honors.
At the age of 29, Frazier became the first-ever head coach for the Trinity International University football program. From 1988-96, he turned the team into a consistent contender, claiming two Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference titles twice. The school named its football field in Frazier's honor in 1997 as a tribute to his outstanding impact.
He played six seasons as a defensive back for the Chicago Bears (1981-86), and started on the historic 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team. Led Chicago in interceptions three consecutive seasons (1983-85), finishing his pro career with 20 interceptions for 343 yards with two touchdowns. He is one of 28 individuals to win a Super Bowl as both a player and a coach.
He was an All-American defensive back and baseball standout at Alcorn State University while majoring in business administration. In 2007, Frazier was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame. In 2012, he was inducted into the Alcorn State Hall of Fame. In 2017, Frazier was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2023 he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Frazier attended S.D. Lee (Columbus, Miss.) High, where he was a standout football and baseball player. Frazier and his wife, Gale, have three children: Kieron, Chantel and Corey, who played defensive back at Rice.
