Mike Macdonald: ‘We’re gonna win a lot of football games’

January 31, 2024 cc Leave a comment

“We’re gonna be here for a long time, and we’re gonna win a lot of football games.” — Mike Macdonald to execs and staff welcoming him at VMAC

When it came down to conference title game weekend, John Schneider was pretty much guaranteed of getting one of his top two options to become the Seahawks’ next coach.

When Ben Johnson decided to stay in Detroit, Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald immediately became the favorite – even though he had yet to speak with Schneider. It happened fast: Two interviews in two days yielded a six-year contract to become the eighth full-time coach in Seahawks history.

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Coaches

Schneider’s top choice for coach is probably still in the playoffs

January 27, 2024 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are now one of just two teams left without coaches for 2024, and some fans and analysts are wondering what is taking so long.

First, they need to understand the NFL rules around hiring a coach: Conference title game coaches could not interview this week, and teams have to interview at least two minority candidates in person as part of their process.

The Hawks have two minority candidates remaining. Las Vegas DC Patrick Graham reportedly met with John Schneider on Tuesday, and Carolina DC Ejiro Evero was set to interview with Schneider today.

Meanwhile, it seems pretty clear that Schneider still wants to talk to at least one coach from the four remaining playoff teams. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the obvious one, and Baltimore DC Mike Macdonald could be on Seattle’s radar as well.

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Coaches

Young offensive coach coming to boost ‘stagnant’ Hawks?

January 20, 2024 cc 5 Comments

“If you’re stagnant in this league, you’re behind.” – John Schneider

John Schneider thought the Seahawks had gotten “stagnant” under Pete Carroll and he clearly is looking for an innovative coach who is on the cutting edge of today’s NFL. That leads us to believe he wants a young offensive mind in charge, as so many successful teams have acquired in recent years.

Five of the last six Super Bowls have been won by teams led by former offensive coordinators: Andy Reid (twice), Sean McVay, Bruce Arians, Doug Pederson.

Young OCs turned coaches have led their teams to the Super Bowl and lost: Zac Taylor in Cincinnati, Nick Sirianni in Philadelphia, Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.

Schneider sure seems to want a guy like that.

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Coaches

Jody Allen makes the right call; now it’s Schneider’s turn

January 10, 2024 cc Leave a comment

Kudos to Jody Allen for doing what she needed to do and moving on from Pete Carroll.

As hard as it surely was to do, Allen clearly saw what needed to be done and actually had the guts to do it despite Carroll’s self-described attempts to change her mind (“I didn’t back off for an instant”). That is great leadership by Allen to make a needed change.

This move does not take away from the fact that Carroll is the best coach in Seahawks history — the only one to win a Super Bowl, the one with the most wins, the one with the longest tenure. It was a great run, especially the 2012-16 seasons when the Legion of Boom was in its prime.

It does not take away from the fact that he is a great person, well respected by nearly all of his former players and coaches.

But all things end — always. That is life. And, for the Seahawks to return to contention, it was time for this move to happen, as we wrote yesterday.

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State of the team

Carroll’s ‘not worn out,’ but his coaching style is — will Jody Allen agree?

January 9, 2024 cc 2 Comments

“I plan to be coaching this team. … I’m not worn out. I’m not tired.” – Pete Carroll to Seattle Sports 710

Pete Carroll might not be worn out or tired, but his coaching principles sure seem to be. He will never admit it, but the game officially has passed the 72-year-old by and it is time to retire.

Unfortunately, he is not interested in doing so and the only way we will see a new era is if Jody Allen decides she too has seen enough of the withering Carroll regime.

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