Seahawks Rumors: Ravens DC Mike Macdonald Wanted for Interview With SEA

zach bacharContributor IJanuary 28, 2024

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The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly wanted to interview Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald regarding the team’s current opening at head coach, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

However, Seattle will not have a chance to interview Macdonald until the Ravens season ends. This could be a problem for the Seahawks if Baltimore makes it to the Super Bowl, meaning that they won’t be able to speak with him for another two weeks.

Macdonald has also interviewed with the Washington Commanders regarding their head coaching vacancy.

The Seahawks let go of longtime head coach Pete Carroll on Jan. 10 after the team failed to make the playoffs, finishing with a record of 9-8 in 2023. Seattle’s defense was the primary culprit behind the third-place finish in the NFC West, allowing 23.6 points and 371.4 yards per game. Those represented the third and eighth-worst marks in the NFL, respectively.

Meanwhile, Macdonald oversaw one of the league’s premier defenses. While Lamar Jackson had a stellar 2023 campaign, Baltimore’s defense was also a large reason behind the team’s 13-4 record. Macdonald’s unit allowed a mere 16.5 points per game throughout the regular season, the best average in the NFL.

The dominance continued in the playoffs, as the Ravens gave up just 10 points to the Houston Texans in their divisional round win. Standout rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for only 175 yards, while the Texans mustered just 38 rush yards as a team on 14 total attempts.

The Seahawks have interviewed several strong candidates on both sides of the ball throughout the hiring process.

This includes Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith (per Schefter).

If the Ravens fall to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, it’s not hard to imagine Macdonald and the Seahawks setting up a meeting shortly afterwards.