The Seattle Seahawks knew they needed to make a change after missing the 2023 NFL Playoffs despite having a solid roster.
The Seahawks had young talent on both sides of the field, but Pete Carroll had trouble getting his team to play consistently every week.
After the regular season ended, Seattle shocked the league by parting with Carroll and going on the search for their next head coach.
There were numerous candidates to interview during this head coaching hiring cycle, and the Seahawks did their due diligence before hiring Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Macdonald became a hot name in the market after leading the Ravens to the best defense in the league.
Brian Baldinger praised the move and believes Seattle made a great decision to bring in Macdonald via You Better You Bet.
“I think John Schneider and Seattle made a really strong hire,” Baldinger said.
"I think John Schneider and Seattle made a really strong hire."@BaldyNFL reacts to Seattle hiring Mike Macdonald as their new head coach.@TheKostos | @LockyLockerson pic.twitter.com/BG6ikqFeIS
— You Better You Bet (@YouBetterYouBet) January 31, 2024
Baldinger notes the success Macdonald has had at both the collegiate and professional levels, as well as the head coaches he’s gotten to work under.
He also mentions how under Macdonald Baltimore’s defense ranked first in several defensive metrics despite missing key players for extended stretches.
At 36 years old, Macdonald is now the youngest head coach in the NFL and will have a chance to rebuild Seattle in his image.
A defensive mind, Macdonald’s got excellent pieces to build around in Jamal Adams and Devon Witherspoon.
Hiring Macdonald was a strong first move for the Seahawks, but now they must turn their attention to free agency and the draft.
NEXT: Breaking: Seahawks Decide On New Head Coach