5 Things To Know About New Seahawks' Head Coach Mike Macdonald (2024)

Youngest in Charge

Macdonald will be 36 until his birthday in June, making him the league's youngest head coach. Former Coach Pete Carroll was moved to an advisor role with the franchise earlier this month, ending the 2023 season and a storied tenure with the team as the league's oldest coach (72).

Intern to Defensive Coordinator: A Baltimore Journey

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Over the past decade, Macdonald has climbed the pro ladder as a defensive mind, ascending from Baltimore Ravens' coaching intern in 2014. The University of Georgia alum rose to defensive assistant the following year, before spending time as defensive backs coach (2017) and linebackers coach (2018-2020) on Coach John Harbaugh's staff.

In one year with Mike Macdonald as the DC in Michigan, the defense allowed 17 fewer points and 104 fewer yards per game.

Points per game:
No. 95 (34.5) —> No. 8 (17.4)

Yards per game:
No. 87 (434.3) —> No. 18 (330.4)#Ravens

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) January 28, 2022

In 2021, Macdonald would join the University of Michigan as defensive coordinator under another Harbaugh - Wolverines' Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. In his lone season in Anne Arbor, the Wolverines' ranked Top-10 in the country defensively.

In 2022, Macdonald returned to Baltimore as defensive coordinator, helping the Ravens to make consecutive playoff trips before joining Seattle.

Defensive Prowess: Building a Top-10 Defense

The Ravens' Defense under Mike Macdonald:

2023 ⤵️

YDS/G: 301.4 (6th)
Passing YDS/G: 191.9 (6th)
Rushing YDS/G: 109.4 (14th)
PTS/G: 16.5 (1st)
TO Differential: +12 (2nd)
Sacks: 60 (1st)

2022 ⤵️

YDS/G: 324.2 (10th)
Passing YDS/G: 232.2 (26th)
Rushing YDS/G: 92.1 (3rd)
PTS/G:… https://t.co/HanhGYsjli pic.twitter.com/9iNmZtVfkl

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 31, 2024

Macdonald became Baltimore's defensive coordinator in 2022, after helping the Michigan Wolverines build a championship contender in 2021. In two seasons of Macdonald leading the defense, the Ravens ranked amongst the Top-10 in several categories. In 2022, Baltimore ranked third in points per game allowed (18.1), third in rushing yards allowed per contest (92.1) and fifth in sacks (48).

Mike Macdonald’s 2023 Season with Baltimore:

🔹 #1 scoring defense (16.5 points per game)
🔹 # 1 in sacks (60)
🔹 #1 in takeaways (31)
🔹 #1 in fewest touchdowns allowed (26)
🔹 #1 in fewest yards allowed per play (4.6)
🔹 #1 in fewest points allowed (280).
🔹 PFWA Assistant… pic.twitter.com/X9WyAw7hos

— 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LIVERavenNation) January 31, 2024

In 2023, Macdonald's defense performed even better, ranking first league-wide in points allowed (16.5), sacks (60), takeaways (31) and the least touchdowns allowed (26).

2023 Pro Football Writers of America Assistant Coach of the Year

Last week, the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) named Macdonald the 2023 Assistant Coach of the Year, after the Ravens became the first team ever to lead the league in sacks (60), points allowed (16.5) and takeaways (31).

Baltimore finished the 2023 regular season at 13-3, allowing 10 points to the Texans in their divisional round win before losing 17-10 in the AFC championship.

A Coach at Heart

While Macdonald's playing career ended in high school, and was cut short by an injury during his senior season, it was clear early on he had a future in the sport. As Macdonald's high school coach, Xarvia Smithdetailed in a story on Baltimoreravens.com, Macdonald showed his knowledge of the game while still playing, and due to that injury, he was essentially a coach beginning his senior year. While Macdonald was at Georgia, Smith gave him his first official coaching gig coaching the freshman team at Cedar Shoals High School, and the rest, as they say, was history.

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