Mike Macdonald didn’t sugarcoat his first season in Seattle.
On a recent episode of In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the Seahawks head coach said he came up short in ways he could feel every day during his first year on the job.
“I was not a great leader my first year. It sucks to say that, but I just fell short in so many different ways - like in awareness and in trust and in communication style.
Just wasn’t the best version of myself. Yeah, it’s not easy to say that, but it’s the truth.”
Macdonald also described a stretch that hit him hard personally.
“I’ve never felt like that in my life. I was sick.
I’d go home, I’d get in bed, and I wouldn’t get out. I’d get in bed as soon as I got home; I wouldn’t get out of bed until I went to work.
I’d be late going into work... I wouldn’t get out of bed all weekend.
I’d just sit in bed. It was crazy...
Yeah, that was probably the toughest, most difficult stretch of my life, honestly - that first few months.”
That kind of honesty is rare in coaching circles, where vulnerability usually gets buried under the weekly grind. Macdonald didn’t do that here. He owned it.
Seattle’s decision to hire him after moving on from Pete Carroll always came with the obvious question: could a first-time head coach who had excelled as a defensive coordinator steer an entire team? John Schneider made the call, and Macdonald had to learn the hard part in real time.
Midway through that 2024 season, the Seahawks were 4-5. They finished 10-7 and just missed the playoffs. Then came 2025, when Seattle went 17-3 and won three playoff games, including the Super Bowl.
But the biggest shift, by Macdonald’s own telling, wasn’t just on the field. It was personal. He said he had to get himself right first, and that self-awareness changed things.
In Other News...
Mike Macdonald's New Edge Already Has Rams Fans Talking
The Seahawks have spent the week drawing attention for reasons that go beyond the usual divisional buildup, with coach Mike Macdonald leaning into modern preparation tools as Seattle gets ready for another round with the Rams. Macdonald has said AI tools such as Copilot are becoming part of the teams strategy, a sign that the Seahawks are trying to find any edge they can as the NFC West race keeps tightening.
Kelly Staffords Instagram story added a little extra spice to the matchup, since the Rams quarterbacks wife made clear she was uneasy with Seattles use of AI in preparation. With the teams still staring at another meeting ahead and both clubs coming off recent stretches that have given their fans plenty to evaluate, the conversation around this matchup has widened well beyond the usual injury reports and game plans. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face Two Key Week 2 Injury Questions Against Arizona
The Seahawks head into their Week 2 matchup with Arizona already dealing with a trimmed-down depth chart, with quarterback Sam Darnold and safety Ty Okada ruled out because of injuries. Those absences force Seattle to shuffle both a key spot on offense and an important piece of the secondary, while the team waits to see how the rest of the roster holds up through the final stages before kickoff.
Nick Emmanwori and right guard Anthony Bradford are both listed as questionable, leaving two more spots in flux as Seattle works through its game-day decisions. If either player can go, it could soften the blow of the early injury news, but the Seahawks are still in a spot where lineup changes may continue right up until they face the Cardinals. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense Faces A Cardinals Weapon Arizona May Still Hold Back
Jeremiyah Love is trending toward a bigger piece of the Cardinals offense heading into the matchup with Seattle, a notable development for a Seahawks defense that will already have to account for a changing Arizona backfield. The rookie running back is off the Week 2 injury report after recovering from the high-ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason, and he had already shown a glimpse of his value by scoring a touchdown in Week 1.
Arizona still sounds prepared to bring him along deliberately, which means the Seahawks may see Love without necessarily seeing his full workload all at once. The Cardinals are expected to split carries among their running backs, keeping the rookie involved while managing his touches, so Seattle has to prepare for a player who could matter in key spots even if the volume is controlled. [Read more 🡒]