The Seattle Seahawks announced on Wednesday Afternoon that they have selected their new Head Coach to succeed Pete Carroll, who spent the past 14 years at the helm. Macdonald was sought after quickly by the team following Baltimore’s AFC Championship loss to Kansas City on Sunday. Despite an L on the scoreboard, the game likely only furthered the Seahawks’ desire for Macdonald to lead their team. His defense, led by Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton, allowed just 17 points with a second half shutout against the dynastic Chiefs offense.
Macdonald, 36 years old, becomes the new youngest Head Coach in the NFL after inking a six year contract with the team. The former Ravens DC takes over a defense that ranked 30th in yards, 31st in rushing defense and 25th in scoring defense. He hails from a defense that ranked 6th, 14th and 1st in those categories. Seattle’s defense also struggled with forcing turnovers, finishing 22nd in that department, whereas the Ravens forced a league-high 31. The Seahawks showed promise sacking the QB, ranking 12th with 47. That figure should only grow higher, as Macdonald’s unit led the league in that regard also, with a whopping 60 sacks.
Macdonald’s unique blitz patterns, stunts and alignments proved adverse for opposing offenses all season long, leading to him getting a Head gig at the ripe young age of 36. Macdonald’s coaching journey began in 2008 at Cedar Shoals HS in Athens, Georgia as a Linebacker and Running Backs Coach. After that, Mike joined Mark Richt’s staff at UGA. He started off as a graduate assistant and worked his way up to a quality control assistant before acquiring a coaching internship with the Ravens.
Macdonald’s first stint in Baltimore saw him serve John Harbaugh as a Coaching Intern, a Defensive Assistant, a Linebackers Coach and a DB Coach. After a run that stretched from 2014-2020, Mike took a hiatus to become the DC at the University of Michigan under John’s brother, Jim Harbaugh. Macdonald helped lead UM to their first College Football Playoff berth.
After one year in Ann Arbor, Mike went back to the Ravens, this time as their Defensive Coordinator. He spent the last two seasons in Baltimore, culminating with the historic 2023 Ravens defense. Macdonald takes on a roster in Seattle looking for an identity, with uncertainty at multiple spots, mainly under center. With the Seahawks locking their man down, they now look forward to Free Agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.