The Seattle Seahawks are back on top of the NFL world, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl LX champions. After dismantling the New England Patriots on the league’s biggest stage, their formula for success is officially the one everyone wants to copy. And while teams across the league are taking notes, one AFC North rival is already putting those lessons into action - and that should have the Pittsburgh Steelers on high alert.
Let’s start with the Seahawks. Under the leadership of head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Seattle didn’t just win - they dominated.
Macdonald’s defensive acumen was already well-known from his time in Baltimore, but in Seattle, paired with Kubiak’s aggressive, creative offense, he helped build a team that played fast, smart, and fearless. That combination proved lethal in the postseason, and now the rest of the league is scrambling to keep up.
Enter the Baltimore Ravens - a team that knows Macdonald well. He was their defensive coordinator before taking the top job in Seattle, and while the Ravens opted to stick with John Harbaugh at the time, they’re now clearly trying to recreate what they lost. Baltimore’s 2026 coaching hires are a clear nod to the Seahawks’ blueprint, and they’re not being subtle about it.
The Ravens’ new head coach is Jesse Minter, the former defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. Minter, like Macdonald, is a defensive play-caller who’s shown he can get results even without a star-studded roster. He’s 42, a first-time head coach, and brings a modern, aggressive approach to defense - sound familiar?
But it’s the offensive coordinator hire that really turns heads. Instead of going with a veteran play-caller or someone with years of NFL experience, Minter tapped 29-year-old Declan Doyle, the former offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
Doyle comes from the Ben Johnson coaching tree - yes, that Ben Johnson, the offensive wizard who’s been one of the hottest names in coaching circles for years. Doyle’s youth and pedigree make him one of the most intriguing up-and-coming minds in the game.
So now, Baltimore has its own Macdonald-Kubiak pairing in Minter and Doyle. And while there are no guarantees in this league - especially when it comes to first-time coaches - the Ravens are already ahead of the curve thanks to one major advantage: they’ve got Lamar Jackson. That’s a franchise quarterback in his prime, paired with a fresh coaching staff built to innovate and adapt.
This is where things get dicey for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has some promising young talent, sure.
But they’re still searching for a long-term answer at quarterback, and their coaching situation doesn’t exactly scream cutting edge. While the Ravens are embracing the league’s shift toward youth, creativity, and aggressive play-calling, the Steelers are still trying to find their footing.
The NFL is a copycat league - it always has been. When a team wins it all, others follow the formula.
Right now, that formula looks a lot like what the Seahawks just pulled off: a sharp defensive mind at the helm, a rising star on offense, and a team that plays with confidence and purpose. Baltimore is clearly trying to replicate that model, and they’ve got the pieces to make it work.
For the Steelers, the message is clear: the arms race in the AFC North isn’t slowing down. If anything, it's accelerating - and the Ravens just hit the gas.