Mike Holmgren confirms interest in Seahawks opening

Mike Holmgren talked plenty about the Seahawks' situation Friday during his weekly radio show on KJR-AM.

He said he'd be interested in talking to Seahawks owner Paul Allen and CEO Tod Leiweke, talked about the offensive line as an area that needs to be evaluated and discussed the delineation of front-office responsibilities across the NFL.

But even though he spent an hour on the air, he didn't reveal much more beyond confirming the fact that he would be interested in discussing the opening that now exists atop Seattle's football operations after Tim Ruskell stepped down Thursday.

"Absolutely, I would like to talk to them," Holmgren said in regards to Leiweke and Allen.

"But I've also said this, that the people and the team has to want to. The situation has to be right, the opening has to be right."

Holmgren, who has drawn interest from the Cleveland Browns, did not specify what position he seeks — football administrator like Bill Parcells in Miami; strictly a general manager in charge of players and personnel; or possibly coach.

But he made it clear he did not see himself above participating in a hiring process, though he joked that there probably isn't much left for the franchise to learn about him.

"I trust I've been thoroughly vetted so far, already, for 10 years," Holmgren said. "But I'll go through whatever is necessary to go through as long as it makes some sense."

Leiweke declined to discuss Holmgren's candidacy on Thursday, and the franchise has hired a search firm to help find a new president.

Coach Jim Mora is expected to be retained after the transition to a new chief of football operations, and Holmgren was asked about Mora, an assistant coach on Holmgren's staff in 2007 and 2008.

"Jim is a fine coach and is a passionate guy," he said. "It wouldn't take too long to realize Jim's a good football coach. The second thing is, I think having one year under your belt and then not being able to continue is kind of unfair."

Holmgren said that he recognized specific mistakes made during his four-year stint at Seahawks general manager. Now, he wouldn't draft for need at a specific position like he did with Jerramy Stevens in 2002, and he wouldn't create a mishmash of scouting departments and systems as happened in 1999 when he tried to integrate new hires he brought from Green Bay with the existing staff.

He would also delegate more, but after 10 years with the Seahawks, Seattle would know pretty much what it's getting.

"I wouldn't change that much," Holmgren said. "I know that kills some people."

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com