The Seattle Seahawks hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their head coach, the team announced.
Seattle gave Macdonald a six-year contract, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. At age 36, he’ll be the NFL’s youngest sideline boss.
Macdonald was a popular candidate around the league during this year’s coaching carousel after doing an excellent job coordinating Baltimore’s defense for two seasons.
The 2023 Ravens became the first team ever to lead the NFL in points allowed (16.5), total sacks (60), and takeaways (31) in the same campaign. The Ravens’ defensive unit had one of its best games of the season in a 37-3 victory over the Seahawks in Week 9, allowing just 151 total yards and six first downs.
Macdonald will replace longtime head coach Pete Carroll, who posted a 137-89-1 regular-season record and won one Super Bowl in 14 seasons with the Seahawks. The team transitioned the 72-year-old Carroll into an advisory role in a stunning move on Jan. 12.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun, we’re going to work our tails off, and it’s going to be an incredible ride,” Macdonald said Wednesday. “We’re going to be here for a long time, and we’re going to win a lot of football games.”
Seattle missed the playoffs in 2023 after finishing third in the NFC West with a 9-8 record. Once considered one of football’s premier defenses, the Seahawks have ranked 25th in points allowed in each of the last two years. Their offense placed 17th in scoring this season, down from ninth in 2022.
Finding a new offensive coordinator will presumably be one of Macdonald’s first challenges in Seattle. Following a Pro Bowl season in 2022, veteran quarterback Geno Smith took a step back in 2023, throwing for only 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
The Seahawks have made the playoffs four times since 2018 but won only one postseason game in that span.
The Washington Commanders are now the final NFL team without a head coach this year. Macdonald was a top target for Washington, along with Ben Johnson, who decided to remain the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator in a surprising move Tuesday.
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