Mike

Macdonald

Macdonald, who hired former Washington Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as Seattle’s OC, said the team would stress controlling the ball and maximizing time of possession in 2024. “We’re going to be a physical unit, we’re gonna run the football, and we want to have answers for the quarterback and we want to keep it consistent for him so he can play fast and play decisive and get the ball to our playmakers,” Macdonald said. “I know that’s kind of coach speak. But it needs to be an efficient unit, we want to be able to possess the ball, we want to be able to obviously be explosive and not turn the ball over. And I think that’s going to come through run and play action on early downs.” It’s a decidedly old-school approach that may or may not come to fruition, and it’s no surprise Macdonald preaches the run game considering his defensive background. Ken Walker would presumably be the primary beneficiary of a run-first Seattle offense, though he could split the workload with second-year back Zach Charbonnet.

Macdonald completed his second interview on Wednesday morning and that appears to be enough to convince the Seahawks that he was the right man for the job. The 36-year-old has been the defensive coordinator for the Ravens for the past two seasons after spending one season as Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator at Michigan where he coached a top 10 defense. This past season, the Ravens’ defense under Macdonald allowed the fewest points per game (16.5), while also recording the most sacks (60) and takeaways (31). It’s reportedly a six-year deal, and he will now be the youngest head coach in the NFL.

The team met with Macdonald on Tuesday and will conduct a more “expansive” interview on Wednesday, per Pelissero. Macdonald in 2023 coached an elite Baltimore defense that often fooled opposing quarterbacks and coordinators with creative play calling, particularly simulated blitzes. Even in the Ravens’ conference title game loss, they held Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to just 17 points. Macdonald would fit well with a defensive-minded organization like the Seahawks after they parted ways with longtime coach Pete Carroll two weeks ago.

A loss to the Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game means Macdonald is now free to talk with any team interested in his services. The Seahawks had Macdonald on their radar last week, but they needed the Ravens to be eliminated before having a chance to speak with him. Seattle has appeared most interested in Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn throughout this coaching cycle but is now making pushes for the services of Macdonald and offensive wonder boy Ben Johnson.

Detroit’s Ben Johnson remains the odds-on favorite to land Washington’s head coaching gig, but the team is also set to speak with Ravens assistant head coach Anthony Weaver and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, along with defensive coordinators Dan Quinn and Aaron Glenn. With so many interviews on tap, the Commanders’ search isn’t quite over yet, but we’d expect them to come to a decision sometime this week. In addition to the five coaches they have to meet, the Commanders have already conducted second interviews with Texans OC Bobby Slowik and in-house candidate Eric Bieniemy.

If the Ravens win on Sunday against the Chiefs, the Seahawks will have to wait until after the Super Bowl to interview Macdonald, which, according to Rapoport, they are willing to do. The Ravens’ defensive coordinator has been a hot name during this coaching cycle, but with only two job openings left, it’s coming down to the Commanders or Seahawks as suitors for the young play-caller. Should the Ravens win on Sunday, the Commanders could still interview Macdonald next week because they requested an interview with him earlier this month.

In addition to Macdonald the Falcons also requested a second interview with the Ravens associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, who has been targeted by multiple teams this offseason. Macdonald is fresh off another dominant defensive game in which his defense held the Texans out of the red zone and limited them to only a field goal in the 34-10 win. Macdonald needed just two years to build the Ravens into a defensive power house and has them on the cusp of a Super Bowl berth. A win over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday would only further add to his already high stock.

That’s the fifth team to put Macdonald’s name on their interview list. The rising star also has interest from the Falcons, Titans, Commanders, and Panthers. At this point, it looks like Macdonald is all but certain to have a new home for the 2024 season. Macdonald signed on as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator before the 2022 season. His defenses have finished top-10 in yards allowed in both campaigns and top-three in points allowed. That came after a pair of seasons in which the Ravens finished outside the top half of the league in points allowed.

The Brothers Harbaugh disciple is one of six known candidates in Atlanta. He has also drawn interest from the Commanders and Panthers. Macdonald’s résumé isn’t long, but he has been a meteoric riser as he shuffles back and forth between Jim and John. Although Macdonald’s 2023 Ravens defense is loaded with talent, he certainly deserves credit for it being one of the league’s 3-4 best units. He is the kind of upside bet teams should be making at head coach.

Macdonald and Detroit’s Ben Johnson looks like two of the hottest coaching candidates on the market. Macdonald has now received five interview requests and could be at legitimate risk of leaving the Ravens once their season has concluded. Macdonald’s defense ranks among the best in the league in several categories this season and was second in EPA per play. If he doesn’t land a job this coaching cycle, it’s safe to say his tenure with the Ravens won’t extend too far beyond 2024.