Scheduling two interviews with Mike Macdonald in a two-day period, the Seahawks effectively displayed their interest in the two-year Ravens defensive coordinator. That proved to be telling for the franchise’s future.
The Seahawks are hiring Macdonald as their next head coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The team will go from employing the league’s oldest active HC, in Pete Carroll, to the youngest. Macdonald is 36. Wednesday’s second meeting became themed around a hire, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who notes Macdonald has since agreed to the deal. After a report Tuesday pointed to Macdonald and Giants OC Mike Kafka being firmly in the mix, the Seahawks will go with a defense-based candidate.
Baltimore’s AFC championship game loss to Kansas City removed any restrictions Macdonald would have had regarding interview scheduling, but Rapoport adds the Seahawks were willing to wait on him if the Ravens held seed and qualified for Super Bowl LVIII. That did not prove necessary, and Macdonald can get to work on assembling a staff. As Macdonald-Seahawks conversations continue today, coordinator candidates are undoubtedly coming up. With the team in that phase, the Commanders are now the only club with a coaching vacancy remaining.
Being a year younger than Sean McVay and Jerod Mayo, Macdonald is 36 years younger than Carroll, who became only the fourth coach to lead an NFL team at age 72. Carroll had announced intentions to stay for a 15th season. Even as Carroll pushed to keep his job in the days following the season, the Seahawks moved on. GM John Schneider, who now wields full personnel control for the first time, will go with a candidate who was on many teams’ lists this year. Dan Quinn emerged as the first name in the mix to succeed Carroll, but the Dallas DC — and Seattle’s DC during both 2010s Super Bowl seasons — is down to the Commanders or staying with the Cowboys.
Macdonald will sign a six-year contract with the NFC West franchise, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports. While this is not a rebuilding situation, the Seahawks will still show a long-term commitment to their young HC. Four- and five-year deals are a bit more common in the NFL, though some six-year pacts have emerged in the recent past. Kyle Shanahan signed one as the 49ers were rebuilding. So did Dan Campbell in 2021. The Panthers just gave Dave Canales a six-year deal. Carroll did not leave the Seahawks in need of an overhaul, however, making this term length interesting.
The Seahawks’ investment comes after Macdonald displayed his value during his second Ravens stint. Baltimore’s defense ranked first this season, which came after a third-place finish in scoring defense in 2022. The Ravens ranked in the top 10 in yardage in each of Macdonald’s two seasons in charge. Baltimore’s defense has been one of the NFL’s most reliable units during the 21st century; Macdonald continued this run, one that helped the team secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed for the second time in franchise history. Don Martindale‘s DC successor interviewed for the Commanders, Chargers, Falcons, Panthers and Titans’ HC jobs.
Macdonald managed to coax a monster season from contract-year defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, who smashed career highs with 13 sacks and 33 QB hits. The Ravens also received steady production from edge rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, despite both veterans’ late arrivals. Clowney signed with Baltimore in August, while Van Noy did not arrive until late September. The two vets combined for 18.5 sacks this season, helping the Ravens lead the league with 60. Baltimore will not lose both coordinators, however, with OC Todd Monken not in contention for the Washington job.
Carroll’s final years brought a defensive regression in Seattle. The Seahawks ranked 30th in total defense this season and 26th in 2022; two-year DC Clint Hurtt left to become the Eagles’ defensive line coach. The Carroll-led defenses have trended down since the Legion of Boom-driven apex produced back-to-back Super Bowl berths. While the Seahawks became the first team since the 1950s Browns to lead the NFL in scoring defense in four straight seasons (2012-15), they have not ranked in the top 10 in this area since 2016.
A Ravens position coach before spending 2021 as Jim Harbaugh‘s DC at Michigan, Macdonald reviving the Seahawks’ defense would go a long way toward helping the team become a legitimate contender again. Although Geno Smith did not match his 2022 work, the journeyman passer did again display starter-caliber chops after re-signing last March. The Seahawks also have veteran wideouts Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf under contract, along with two young running backs and two 2022 draftees at tackle (Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas). Inconsistency plagued the Seahawks on offense this past season, but the team has Smith on a low-end — for a veteran QB — contract; that three-year, $75MM deal runs through the 2025 season.
Macdonald becomes the Seahawks’ third consecutive hire with a defensive background. Carroll replaced Jim Mora Jr. in 2010, guiding the franchise to its zenith. The Seahawks had plateaued during Carroll’s later years. As the Legion of Boom splintered, the team became a Russell Wilson-dependent operation. The second half of Wilson’s Seattle tenure featured steady growth as a passer and will go a long way toward his Hall of Fame case, but the Seahawks struggled to build a reliable roster around the since-traded QB. They appeared to fare better on this front after re-signing Smith last year, giving Dre’Mont Jones a $17MM-AAV deal and trading for rental piece Leonard Williams. The team also used a No. 5 overall pick — obtained in the Wilson swap — on Devon Witherspoon. The Illinois alum’s Pro Bowl season points to him being a key piece under Macdonald going forward.
After back-to-back 9-8 seasons, the Seahawks will now bet on their young HC investment elevating this operation. It will be interesting to see if the team makes an investment in a young quarterback this offseason or continues to build its roster around Smith. With Seattle not blocking its assistants from exploring other jobs, three-year OC Shane Waldron signed on to be Chicago’s play-caller. Macdonald will be tasked with bringing in a replacement soon.
Great hire. To be so young, have a decade working under Harbaughs, and show what he’s shown the last couple of years. Curious what he does for offensive staff, but I’m optimistic about him.
He worked under both Harbaugh. But Jim was the one who he gave his first crack at DC
Yep. That’s why I pluralized Harbaugh. Great symbiosis by the brothers.
His OC should be an established, proven OC, that is willing to be innovative and creative in this new NFL age we are finding ourselves having to deal with. Doesn’t have to be young, just one that is looking to effectively utilize the talent already on the team.
Agree. They’re loaded on offense. If he can get the defense to be league average right away, next season should be very promising.
Matt Patricia is available.
@Lars, perhaps a hybrid of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge for offense could be an out of the box game changer.
He doesn’t seem to fit the mold of what Seattle wants, but who knows? I’m guessing that MacDonald will be very involved in defensive game planning anyway. He may want someone that he can teach and develop.
You don’t know me
But I’m Seattle’s Coach
Good hire.
Need to draft a young QB and let him sit for a year. Let Geno be the vet QB while the new HC & QB learn.
I’m so over Geno Smith. Starting him, even as a place holder, is just a waste of time. I would much rather start the drafted rookie over someone with no chance of winning football games.
Stuart from mad tv?
Hopefully a six year commitment to a HC this young will throw cold water on the constant speculation that Jody Allen is planning to sell the franchise.
5-6 years has become the standard for coaches so it’s no guarantee the team won’t be sold
With this hire, it appears that the NY Giants are stuck with another year of the mediocre Mike Kafka as OC.
Matched by mediocre QB play from ‘Danny Dimes!’.
Daniel Jones will probably get knocked out for the season in week 1.
Some seem to doubt him, but I say, that’s What a Fool Believes…
Not cool, bro.
He Keeps Forgetting it’s not cool. He got wrapped up in the Sweet Freedom of posting a comment anonymously.
They knew who they wanted from the start and they got him. Great hire who can hopefully turn the defense into a elite unit. There are some great pieces already in place but the trenches definitely need some work
Not a Hawks fan but love this hire. If I was GM I’d draft a QB like JJ McCarthy, let him sit for a year beyond Geno then set him loose. By that time McD should have the D looking much better and they should be a much better all around team. Good hire
free big macs after a sack!
JJ McCarthy may not be a popular player in Seattle, especially with the Huskies fans.
Good luck to Mike. Defense wasn’t top notch for Ravens until Roquan Smith arrived. Clowney, Van Noy and #92 accounted for more than half the team sacks and all might be gone in 24. Ravens will be fighting for wild card next season with free agents leaving due to cap space, plus schedule much tougher. This season was set up for SB and they pissed it away.
So,
Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick:
Step away and enjoy your retirement.
Do some volunteer coaching/mentoring.
Count your money.
So they hired Dark Helmet to be their HC?
I know there have been successful examples including Belichick but how does a guy who didn’t play college football nevermind pro football become the youngest coach in the NFL? Are former players not getting the same opportunities because instead of getting the right mentor and working up the coaching ladder in their 20’s and 30’s they are actually playing the game? Are they not being perceived the same? I would think actual participation in the game would provide a better learning experience than breaking down video.
I think the NFL will eventually catch up with MLB. Meaning former players coaching not long after they play. I think the NFL and NFL fans have this notion that if you coach under someone and call plays for X number of years it translates into being a HC. I think they discredit the playing of the game. Thats knowledge too. And knowledge that a non playing coach such as Macdonald will never able to acquire. Sure he will know about it but he has never experience it. Things like what they see on the field , how they adapt on the fly, knowing what a player goes through. That’s far different than the non player who’s just a coach.
What a Fool Believes
I love how at the start of this coaching hire frenzy that not a single talking head mentioned this guy.