The first two weeks of Seahawks training camp have already revealed the shape of Mike Macdonald’s vision: don’t coast on last year, don’t get comfortable, and don’t treat a title like a finish line.
Seattle may be the defending Super Bowl champion, but the way it’s been practicing doesn’t carry any of the usual championship relaxation. The team has come out looking like it still has something to prove, which is exactly how Macdonald seems to want it. He is in his third season with the Seahawks, but the approach feels stripped back to basics, as if he’s starting over with a fresh group.
That makes sense with the pieces Macdonald is trying to fold in. Rookie Jadarian Price is new to the roster, and so is offensive coordinator Brian Fleury.
Those additions matter because Macdonald is working to blend them into what the Seahawks want to be in 2026. Fleury’s offense is expected to bring in new wrinkles, and the goal on that side of the ball is simple: become less predictable and lean harder into the run game.
Price, even as a rookie, is expected to have a big role in making that happen.
The broader idea here is about keeping the pressure in the right place. Macdonald’s mindset keeps the Seahawks from getting tangled up in the idea of repeating as champions and carrying around extra weight because of it.
August is about stacking good days, sharpening habits, and setting the tone for what comes next. The trophy was won in February.
The work starts now.
That message lines up with the theme Macdonald introduced early in camp when he talked about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Seahawks safety Julian Love summed up that conversation via Ari Horton of the team’s website:
"Talking about the early (Chicago) Bulls teams, like the '91 team and how they got over the hump. The idea of (Michael) Jordan being the scoring champ for years before that, but still not getting over that hump of the (Detroit) Pistons. Him being selfless enough to dial it back a little bit and understand that 'We' gets the job done," Seahawks safety Julian Love said via Ari Horton of the team's website.
Love added:
"When you start to play team ball that Phil Jackson incorporated, that's when you see the good stuff happening. The new little nugget he gave to us was that '12 as One' is real. The more we dive into and invest into each other, the more we'll receive out of this whole deal."
That’s the blueprint Macdonald appears to be selling: individual talent matters, but the Seahawks’ next step depends on the whole group buying in. If they’re going to turn one championship into something bigger, they’ll have to keep playing like a unit. They did that last season, and nothing about this camp suggests the standard is changing.
In Other News...
Brian Fleury Just Put Seattles Run Game Pressure In Focus
Brian Fleurys first major test as Seattles new offensive coordinator is the same one that has followed the Seahawks into camp: getting the run game where it needs to be after losing key running backs. Promoted from run game coordinator and tight ends coach, Fleury met with the media and framed the challenge as one of building around what the team still has, including the continuity up front that should help smooth the transition.
There has already been progress in installing the new offensive run scheme during training camp, and Fleury sounded encouraged by how much of the foundation is in place. Even so, the work is far from finished, and the next stretch of camp will say a lot about how quickly Seattle can turn that early installation into something more reliable on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Riq Woolen Could Still Reenter Seattles Cornerback Picture
Riq Woolens move to Philadelphia does not have to close the book on his time in Seattle. After leaving the Seahawks for the Eagles, the cornerback still fits the profile of a player who could circle back at some point, especially with his coverage ability and the track record he built in Seattle keeping his name in the conversation. For a Seahawks secondary that has already moved on with the re-signing of Josh Jobe and the draft addition of Julian Neal, Woolen remains more than a memory.
The possibility of a return is less about nostalgia than it is about timing and fit, and both can change quickly in the NFL. Seattle has already made moves to reshape its cornerback room, but Woolens skill set is still the kind that can make a front office pause and reassess if circumstances line up down the road. For now he is an Eagle, but the door does not sound shut on another Seahawks chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Macdonald Is Betting Big On Seattles New Offensive Vision
Mike Macdonald is making another clear bet on where he wants the Seahawks to go next, bringing in Brian Fleury from the 49ers to run Seattles 2026 offense. Fleury arrives with a background that should feel familiar to anyone who has watched San Franciscos operation up close, and Macdonald pointed to his blend of defensive and offensive strategy, quarterback knowledge and experience working with high-end talent like George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
For Seattle, the hire is about more than adding a new name to the staff. It is a move aimed at creating consistency while also injecting a different point of view into the building, something Macdonald seemed to value when he spoke about Fleury on NFL Network. The Seahawks have made it clear they want their coaching structure to be more stable and more inventive, and now the question is how quickly that vision takes hold once the new offense gets to work. [Read more 🡒]