After a 14-season tenure, Pete Carroll’s era as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks has concluded, with Mike Macdonald taking the reins. Macdonald, who served as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, is credited with orchestrating the league’s top-scoring defense in 2023.
As the Seahawks undergo a transformation under Macdonald’s leadership, he has made it clear that he won’t simply emulate Carroll’s style that defined the team for over a decade. While expressing admiration for Carroll’s accomplishments and acknowledging the respect he holds for the veteran coach, Macdonald highlighted the distinctions in their personalities.
“Always admired him from afar. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, his track record,” stated Macdonald. “He’s probably a Hall of Fame coach. Pete has a great personality, but it’s his, and it’s authentic to who he is as a person. I think that’s why the players resonate with him and why he has a great reputation, and his track record is what it is. I have a different personality.”
Macdonald emphasized that he won’t attempt to duplicate Carroll’s approach and intends to stay true to himself. The 36-year-old coach asserted, “You’ll get to know me, but my plan is to be myself every day. You’re just going to get me. It’s not a facade; there are no alternate agendas or anything like that. It’s all about what’s in the best interest of the team, what’s in the best interest of the players, and how we can be successful.
There’s a sense of humor in there, I promise. Some people like it more than others, but it will come out. If you’re trying to be somebody you’re not, one, it’s exhausting, and two, people see right through it.”
With a specialization in defense, Macdonald intends to leverage his strengths authentically. He revealed his plan to personally call the defensive plays for the team, aligning with his commitment to be genuine in his coaching approach.
“Right now, the plan is I’ll be calling the plays,” affirmed Macdonald. “Ultimately, I’m the head coach of the football team, so I want to coach the football team. Right now, the best way that we can win, in my opinion, is for me to call the plays, and when it becomes obvious that someone else is ready to go and we see it the same way, then we will make that change.”
Having faced the Seahawks in 2023 as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Macdonald had the opportunity to assess the strengths of his current team’s defense, which features emerging talents such as Devon Witherspoon, Boye Mafe, and Tariq Woolen. Macdonald is optimistic about the potential of these young stars and envisions them becoming a formidable defensive unit that opponents will fear.
In the 2023 season, the Seahawks ranked 30th in total defense and 31st against the run. With Macdonald’s expertise, there’s optimism that the team could benefit from a strong defensive strategy.
“We went against Seattle this year, and there’s a lot of great players on this team. We’ve done a great job of drafting—it’s a young corps—and we have [an] opportunity to build these guys and build a really competitive team sooner than later,” he expressed.
While the challenges ahead are undeniable, Macdonald appears to be stepping into a coaching situation that offers promise for his inaugural head coaching opportunity. The decision to part ways with Carroll was undoubtedly a difficult one, but both Schneider and the Seahawks’ general manager express satisfaction with Macdonald leading the team into a new era. Schneider affirmed, “This is the future right here.”
