The Seahawks have hired former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as the team’s new head coach.

The Seahawks have appointed Mike Macdonald as their new head coach, making him the ninth head coach in franchise history. Macdonald, 36, previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, where he played a key role in developing one of the NFL’s strongest defenses.

Mike Macdonald and his wife Stephanie received a warm welcome from the team upon their arrival at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Macdonald expressed his excitement, saying, ‘We’re thrilled to be here! Meeting everyone, we can tell this place is special because of the people. Our mission? Bring a championship back to Seattle and the 12s.

We’re gonna have a blast, work our tails off, and enjoy the ride. We’re here for the long haul, aiming to win lots of games.”

Mike Macdonald steps in as head coach, taking over from Pete Carroll after 14 seasons. He’s tasked with moving the team forward while keeping its positive vibe intact, as outlined by GM John Schneider earlier this month.

We want to maintain our positive vibe,” Schneider said. “There are so many great people here and an amazing foundation.”

Under Macdonald, the Ravens excelled. They led in scoring defense, sacks, and takeaways, making history. Additionally, they ranked sixth in yards allowed.

“Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen expressed his strong support for Mike Macdonald as the best head coaching candidate in a recent press conference. Queen emphasized Macdonald’s unmatched dedication and care for players, staff, and fans.

Known for his defensive prowess, Macdonald began his coaching journey at Cedar Shoals High School in Georgia while attending the University of Georgia. He then moved up the ranks, serving as a graduate assistant at Georgia before transitioning to the NFL with the Ravens, where he steadily progressed to defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan in 2021.”

After a short time at Michigan, Mike Macdonald returned to the Ravens as their defensive coordinator in 2022. The defense saw significant improvements, ranking top three in scoring, run defense, and red zone defense, and top four in third-down defense. In 2023, with standout players like Queen, Smith, Hamilton, and Madubuike, the defense played a key role in securing the AFC’s top seed with a 13-4 record.

“Mike is going to do a really good job,” Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy told reporters. “If he gets a head-coaching job, he’s going to be really, really good. Very solid coach, very good at Xs and Os, very good at communicating and getting the team galvanized in the right direction for the main goal – and he loves football. I think that it’s awesome for him to get looked at as a head coach at such a young age…I expect big things out of him.”

The Seahawks missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons in 2023, ending with a 9-8 record for the second consecutive year. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2019 and haven’t advanced past the divisional round since the 2014 playoffs.

Last season, Seattle hoped to narrow the gap with San Francisco in the NFC West, but the 49ers continued their dominance, while the Rams quickly rebuilt into a playoff team.

With Macdonald leading the team, there’s optimism for defensive improvement after a challenging season. Equally crucial is finding a creative offensive coordinator to maximize the potential of players like Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Charbonnet, and Kenneth Walker III.