Hi trailblazers! I’m Simi Shah, and every other week, I dive deep into the journey of a South Asian trailblazer. Find us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple, and Spotify.
Hot of the Pod 🏈 Sean Desai, Assistant Head Coach-Defense @ Seattle Seahawks
In our latest episode, I caught up with Sean Desai, Associate Head Coach-Defense for the Seattle Seahawks 🏈
Sean is a LEGEND in football, with over a decade of experience as a coach at the NFL and collegiate levels. When he became defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 2021, he became the first Indian-American NFL coordinator in U.S. history.
Sean joined the Chicago Bears in 2013, where he served on staff for 8 years. Previously, he spent the 2012 season as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Boston College. In 2011, he served as Assistant Director of Football Operations at the University of Miami. And prior to this operational experience, he spent five seasons at Temple University as a graduate assistant.
After graduating from Boston University, Sean earned a master's in higher and postsecondary education from Columbia University before moving onto Temple University where he earned his doctorate in educational administration. More below on Sean’s unexpected path to coaching and how he thinks critically about representation in sports:
In 2013, you made the transition from college ball to the NFL. Did that feel like a ‘Hey, I made it!’ moment?
I've had a few of these, ‘Hey, I made it!’ moments. Getting promoted at Temple was the first one. I thought, ‘Okay, wow. I’ve made it. It took me four or five years as a graduate assistant and now I'm a coordinator in college.’ And then it only lasted a year, because Al [our head coach] left and I took a position off the field at the University of Miami. From my perspective, going off the field, I took a step backwards. And then the year after that, I went to Boston College to be a running back coach, so again, I felt like, ‘Finally. I'm out of the woodwork. I've got my access. I'm at a big-time program.’ And then we got fired a year later.
So that’s another ‘Hey, I made it moment’ where I didn't actually make it. And then when I got to the NFL, it was definitely one of those moments. I got this entry-level position and my wife and I decided we’ll make the sacrifices to make it work. Usually, the average lifespan is about two to three years for a quality control job and then you get promoted. But after two years, we got fired again. So I become a quality control coach again for another Head Coach, and I did that for another three years. So I had all these, ‘Hey, I made it!’ moments, but it was really all about the persistence and the support from my family to endure those tougher moments. This profession is really humbling.
You’ve spoken publicly about an instance when your own 4-year-old son asked you and your wife if he could ‘paint his skin white,’ so that he could be a professional baseball player — because he had never seen an Indian in that position before. I can’t imagine how difficult it was as a parent to hear those words. Can you speak to that conversation and how you think critically about your position as a role model for South Asians everywhere?
A lot of unexpected things happen in parenting. Nothing can prepare you for a question like that. It was so innocent. Baseball, in particular, is such a diverse sport. Most sports are pretty diverse in terms of the players, but regardless, that’s how he felt — not seeing Indians there. And you’re not wrong to feel whatever you’re feeling at four-years-old.
As a parent, you acknowledge that feeling and just have to show him that opportunities are available. Those opportunities gotta come with hard work, persistence, and setting yourself apart. If he wants to be a baseball player at age four, then he’s got to work to be a baseball player. You don’t just become a baseball player, the same way you don’t just become a coach. That’s how we talked to him, saying: ‘Well, if nobody looks like you, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you can’t do it.’
There’s this duality you know. Some of the stories of South Asians who’ve been inspired by me have made my role a little bit more special — when I have the chance to reflect on it. But again, I try not to think about it much. Because when you’re in that role, you’re just trying to be good at it, stay in it, and prove you deserve to be there.
More on Sean’s journey to coaching in the big leagues on Apple, Spotify, or our website! P.S. If you enjoy our conversation with Sean, be sure to check out our episode with 49ers President Paraag Marathe!
Interview curated with the support of Trailblazers Fellow, Nikki Zinzuwadia.