Mike Macdonald

This article is about the American football coach. For other people with similar names, see Michael MacDonald and Michael McDonald.

Mike Macdonald
Macdonald in 2026
Seattle Seahawks
TitleHead coach
Personal information
Born (1987-06-26) June 26, 1987
Scituate, Massachusetts, U.S.
Career information
High schoolCentennial (Roswell, Georgia)
CollegeGeorgia
Career history
Awards and highlights
Head coaching record
Regular season24–10 (.706)
Postseason3–0 (1.000)
Career27–10 (.730)
Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference

Michael Macdonald (born June 26, 1987) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He began his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2014, serving as a defensive assistant. In 2021, Macdonald left the Ravens to become the defensive coordinator of the Michigan Wolverines. He rejoined the Ravens a year later as their defensive coordinator, a position he held from 2022 to 2023. Macdonald was named the head coach of the Seahawks in 2024 and led them to a victory in Super Bowl LX the following year.

Early life

Macdonald was born on June 26, 1987, in Boston, Massachusetts.[1] He attended Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia, where he played baseball and football at Centennial. Macdonald played linebacker and fullback for the Knights, but frequently suffered stingers and eventually tore his ACL while practicing for what would have been his last high school game.[1][2][3]

Macdonald attended the University of Georgia, where he studied finance at the Terry College of Business and graduated summa cum laude in 2010.[1] Macdonald was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and, while still a student at Georgia, he also coached high school football at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Georgia.[4]

Coaching career

Georgia

In May 2010, Macdonald joined Mark Richt's coaching staff as a graduate assistant with the Georgia Bulldogs football program.[1][5] He also served as a safeties and defensive quality control coach at Georgia from 2011 to 2013.[6] In 2013, while coaching at Georgia, Macdonald earned a master's degree in sport management from the Mary Frances Early College of Education at the University of Georgia.[1]

Baltimore Ravens

Macdonald served on John Harbaugh's coaching staff with the Baltimore Ravens for seven seasons from 2014 to 2020.[7] He was hired as an intern in 2014 and was promoted to defensive assistant in January 2015,[8] defensive backs coach in January 2017,[9] and linebackers coach in January 2018.[10]

Michigan

In January 2021, Macdonald joined Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan, as the defensive coordinator of the Michigan Wolverines football program.[11] In Macdonald's lone season at the University of Michigan, the Wolverines posted a top 10 national defense, went undefeated at home, won the Big Ten Conference Championship, and played in the College Football Playoff.[12] The team finished with a national ranking of No. 3 and a final record of 12–2.[13]

Baltimore Ravens (second stint)

On January 27, 2022, Macdonald was re-hired by the Ravens as their defensive coordinator under head coach John Harbaugh, replacing Don Martindale.[14] In 2022, Macdonald led the Ravens' defense to only allowing 315 points in 17 games.[15] Averaging just under 19 points per game, the Ravens' defense was ranked the fourth best defense in the league.[16]

In 2023, the Ravens' defensive unit improved under Macdonald as they only allowed 280 points in total on the season, the fewest in the NFL.[17] The Ravens would advance to the AFC Championship Game, and despite losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens held the Chiefs to just 17 points, marking the team's sixth consecutive game where they held an opponent to 20 points or less.[18]

Seattle Seahawks (2024–present)

On January 31, 2024, Macdonald was hired by the Seattle Seahawks as their head coach to replace Pete Carroll.[19] He beat out Ejiro Evero, Patrick Graham, Ben Johnson, Mike Kafka, Raheem Morris, Dan Quinn, Bobby Slowik, and Frank Smith for the job.[20] At the time of his hiring, Macdonald was the youngest head coach in the NFL.[21]

Macdonald began his inaugural season with Seattle by leading the team to three straight victories for the first time since 2020.[22] The team followed this start by going on a three-game losing streak. By the Seahawks' Week 10 bye, the team held a record of 4–5, falling to last place in the NFC West.[23] The team improved to 5–5 in Week 11 when they defeated the reigning NFC champions and division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers on the road 20–17.[24] In Week 18, Macdonald led the team to a 30–25 victory against the division rival Los Angeles Rams on route to his 10th coaching win in his first season, becoming the first head coach in franchise history to reach 10 wins in his inaugural season.[25] The Seahawks finished with a 10–7 record but missed the postseason in Macdonald's first season as head coach.[26]

In his second season after a Week 4 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Macdonald became the fifth head coach in NFL history to win nine of his first 10 road games. His 10 consecutive road victories also stand as the longest streak in franchise history.[27]

After defeating the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 13–3 in Week 18 and holding Kyle Shanahan to the lowest offensive point and yardage total of his coaching career, the Seahawks finished the regular season at 14–3, setting a franchise record for wins in a season and winning the NFC West and finishing as #1 seed in the NFC.[28][29]

Macdonald won the first playoff game of his career when the Seahawks defeated the 49ers in a rematch in the divisional round by a score of 41–6.[30] In the NFC Championship, the Seahawks won 31–27 against the Los Angeles Rams, thus qualifying for Super Bowl LX.[31] In Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13, giving Macdonald his first Super Bowl win as a coach and the second title overall for the Seahawks franchise.[32][33] At age 38, Macdonald became the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl, behind Sean McVay and Mike Tomlin.[34]

Head coaching record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
SEA 2024 10 7 0 .588 2nd in NFC West — — — —
SEA 2025 14 3 0 .824 1st in NFC West 3 0 1.000 Super Bowl LX champions
Total 24 10 0 .706 3 0 1.000

Personal life

Macdonald is a Christian.[35] He and his wife, Stephanie, have been married since 2021.[36] They have a son.[37]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Mike Macdonald" (PDF). Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Meek, Austin (January 21, 2021). "Who is Michigan's Mike Macdonald? 'One of the smartest men in this world'". The Athletic. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Mink, Ryan (February 6, 2022). "Cover Story: How Analytical Mike Macdonald's Heart Led His Coaching Rise". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  4. ^ Chengelis, Angelique S. (January 17, 2021). "Michigan hires Ravens linebackers coach Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator". The Detroit News. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  5. ^ McMann, Aaron (January 19, 2021). "Michigan football hires Mike Macdonald as next defensive coordinator". Mlive.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  6. ^ Sang, Orion (January 17, 2021). "Michigan football hires Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  7. ^ Mink, Ryan (January 17, 2021). "Mike Macdonald Officially Hired By Michigan as Defensive Coordinator". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  8. ^ "Coaching staff altered". The Baltimore Sun. January 25, 2015. p. D5 – via Newspapers.com.("The Ravens also announced the promotion of Mike Macdonald, 27, into a defensive assistant role. Macdonald was a coaching assistant last season, working primarily with the secondary. Before joining the Ravens, he was a safeties and defensive quality-control coach at Georgia.")
  9. ^ Zrebiec, Jeff (January 27, 2015). "Harbaugh stays in house, makes promotions". The Baltimore Sun. p. D4 – via Newspapers.com. ("Mike Macdonald, a defensive assistant last season, was promoted to work with Hewitt as the assistant defensive backs coach.")
  10. ^ "Ravens go with continuity, promote Martindale". The Baltimore Sun. January 10, 2018. p. D4. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.("Mike Macdonald, a 30-year-old who was a defensive assistant in 2015 and 2016 and defensive backs coach this past season, will be the new linebackers coach.")
  11. ^ Ablauf, Dave; Shepard, Chad (January 17, 2021). "Mike Macdonald Named Michigan's Defensive Coordinator". University of Michigan. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  12. ^ Suss, Nick (January 13, 2024). "Titans conduct head coaching interview with Mike Macdonald, Antonio Pierce". Nashville Tennessean. Retrieved January 31, 2024. Michigan improved from 95th in scoring defense in 2020 to eighth in 2021, with Macdonald's defense helping lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth.
  13. ^ "Football AP Poll". sportsdata.usatoday.com. January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  14. ^ Brown, Clifton (January 27, 2022). "Ravens Name Mike Macdonald Defensive Coordinator". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  15. ^ "Baltimore Ravens Points Allowed 2022". StatMuse. November 17, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  16. ^ "2022 NFL Leaders & Stats". FOX Sports. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  17. ^ "2023 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  18. ^ "2023 Baltimore Ravens Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. September 10, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  19. ^ Boyle, John (January 31, 2024). "Mike Macdonald Named Head Coach Of The Seattle Seahawks". Seahawks.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "NFL coaching, GM tracker: Latest news, interviews, developments in 2024 hiring cycle". NFL.com. January 26, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Condotta, Bob (January 31, 2024). "Seahawks hire Mike Macdonald as coach to replace Pete Carroll". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  22. ^ "All Seattle Seahawks Seasons Which Started 3-0". Champs or Chumps. November 14, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  23. ^ "Seattle Seahawks 2024 Regular Season NFL Schedule". ESPN. November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  24. ^ Thanawalla, Ali; Martin, Angelina; Maiocco, Matt; Chan, Jennifer Lee; Rodriguez, Tristi (November 17, 2024). "49ers vs. Seahawks as it happened: Reaction, analysis of SF's 20-17 loss". NBC Sports Bay Area & California. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  25. ^ Musgrove, Kole (January 5, 2025). "Seahawks defeat Rams 30-25, end the season on a high note". Seahawks Wire. USA Today. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  26. ^ Boyle, John (January 6, 2025). "Seahawks 2024 Season 'The Beginning Of Something Really Special'". Seahawks.com. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  27. ^ Alexander, Mookie (September 27, 2025). "Mike Macdonald is in rare, distinguished company with road game success". Field Gulls. SB Nation. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  28. ^ Gordon, Grant (January 3, 2026). "Seahawks clinch No. 1 seed, first NFC West title since 2020 with win over 49ers". NFL.com. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  29. ^ Van Til, Cameron (January 4, 2026). "The numbers behind Seattle Seahawks' defensive masterpiece". Seattle Sports. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  30. ^ Manley, Jon (January 17, 2026). "By the numbers: How Seahawks blew out rival 49ers in NFL playoffs". The News Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  31. ^ Phillips, Ryan (January 25, 2026). "Sam Darnold Brushes Off Doubters After Leading Seahawks to Superbowl LX". The News Tribune. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  32. ^ Bell, Gregg (February 8, 2026). "Five dominant moments that won Super Bowl 60 for the Seahawks". The News Tribune. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  33. ^ Musgrove, Kole (February 9, 2026). "Top Seahawks takeaways from Super Bowl LX win over Patriots". Seahawks Wire. USA Today. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  34. ^ Mozarsky, Jake (February 8, 2026). "Youngest coaches to win a Super Bowl: Where Seahawks' Mike Macdonald ranks all-time list". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  35. ^ Mercer, Kevin (February 3, 2026). "Seahawks coaches Mike Macdonald, Klint Kubiak know 'our identity is in Christ' ahead of Super Bowl". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  36. ^ "Mike Macdonald bio". BaltimoreRavens.com.
  37. ^ Condotta, Bob (December 4, 2024). "Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald and wife Stephanie have first child". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  • Seattle Seahawks profile
  • Media related to Mike Macdonald at Wikimedia Commons
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