At just 38 years old and in only his second season with the franchise, Mike Macdonald is preparing to lead the Seattle Seahawks into the biggest game of the year - and the biggest moment of his coaching career. The Super Bowl stage is uncharted territory for Macdonald as a head coach, but so far, his approach in Seattle has been nothing short of impressive. His defense has been disciplined, his team has bought in, and the results speak for themselves.
Still, when it comes to preparing for the Super Bowl, a little wisdom from someone who’s been there before can go a long way. And few voices carry more weight in that department than John Harbaugh.
Macdonald spent a decade under Harbaugh in Baltimore, rising through the ranks from coaching intern to defensive coordinator. Now, with his team on the brink of a championship, Macdonald says he plans to reach out to his former boss - now the head coach of the New York Giants - for some insight on how to navigate the unique challenges of Super Bowl week.
“I haven’t talked to John yet,” Macdonald told reporters, “but at some point I probably will.”
That connection runs deep. Macdonald was working in defensive quality control at the University of Georgia - his alma mater - when Harbaugh led the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2013. A year later, Macdonald joined Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore, beginning a coaching journey that’s now brought him to the sport’s biggest stage.
And while Macdonald is the one steering the ship, he’s not the only member of Seattle’s staff getting his first taste of the Super Bowl spotlight. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is also making his debut in the season’s final game.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Aden Durde does bring some Super Bowl experience to the table - he was a coaching fellow with the 2016 Atlanta Falcons, a team that knows all too well how quickly things can unravel on Super Bowl Sunday. You can bet that memory is still fresh, and Durde will be looking for redemption.
For now, the Seahawks are sticking to their routine. Players have Tuesday and Wednesday off before returning to practice Thursday at the team’s Renton facility. They’ll head to California on Sunday and set up shop at San Jose State University for the week leading up to the game.
Seattle enters the matchup as a slight favorite - and rightfully so. But this isn’t a team that can afford to take anything for granted, especially against a battle-tested Patriots squad led by Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel may be making his first Super Bowl appearance as a head coach, but he’s no stranger to the moment. He knows what it takes to win on this stage, and his team reflects that toughness and discipline.
For the Seahawks, the key will be balance. They need to respect the moment without being overwhelmed by it.
They need to counter the Patriots’ physical defense without abandoning the identity that got them here. And above all, they need to treat this like any other game - because that’s the mindset that’s carried them through the season.
Macdonald has built a team that believes in his system. Now, with a championship on the line, he’ll lean on that belief - and maybe a few words of wisdom from John Harbaugh - to try and bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Seattle.