Mike Macdonald hired as new head coach of Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have appointed Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as the ninth head coach in franchise history.

Macdonald becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL at 36 years old. He has spent the past two seasons building one of the NFL’s best defenses as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.

The Seahawks took the decision after Seahawks leadership, including Schneider met with Macdonald for a second time Wednesday, a day after their initial interview in Baltimore on Tuesday.

Macdonald said team employees greeted him and his wife Stephanie upon their arrival at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Macdonald will replace 72-year-old Pete Carroll. However, Carroll held the title for the past 14 seasons.  

Macdonald is 16 months younger than Jerod Mayo. The New England Patriots hired Jerod earlier this month to succeed Bill Belichick.

Seahawks General Manager John Schneider that they want to keep their positive culture.

Macdonald started his coaching at Cedar Shoals High School in Georgia while he was attending the University of Georgia. Later, he became a graduate assistant a Georgia while still in college.

Before becoming the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan in 2021, Macdonald worked his way up to defensive backs coach and then linebackers coach.

He returned to the Ravens as their defensive coordinator in 2022 after one season at Michigan.

He found immediate success as the Ravens ranked third in scoring defense (18.5 points per game), third in run defense (92.1 yards per game), third in red zone defense (46.4 percent), and fourth in third-down defense (34.9).