Adam RittenbergFeb 18, 2026, 08:16 AM ET
CloseCollege football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.
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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 chose Seattle from multiple NFL opportunities. Hammock interviewed for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position; Seattle chose San Francisco tight ends coach and run game coordinator Brian Fleury for that job.
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Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier announced Wednesday that Hammock was leaving the school for an NFL coaching position.
“Under Coach Hammock’s leadership, the Huskie football program has achieved historic milestones on the field as well as academically over the last seven seasons,” Frazier said in a statement. “His passion for NIU and commitment to developing young men — on and off the playing 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 his decision to leave at this time very tough for him. A Hall of Famer, he will always be a Huskie and I hope all of Huskie Nation will join me in thanking Thomas for all he has given to NIU as we wish him all the best in the future.”
The Huskies have promoted defensive coordinator Rob Harley to interim head coach.
Hammock had 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 wins in 2023 and 2024 and a signature win in 2024 at Notre Dame, which ended up being the only regular-season loss for the Fighting Irish.
“Representing the Cardinal and Black of Northern Illinois University as a player, alumnus, assistant coach, and head coach has been the honor of my life,” Hammock said in a statement.
Northern Illinois went 3-9 last season and is joining the Mountain West for football for the 2026 season.
Before returning to Northern Illinois, Hammock spent five seasons as Baltimore Ravens running backs coach, where he worked alongside Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. Hammock also has coached running backs at Wisconsin and Minnesota, where he was co-offensive coordinator in 2010.