The Baltimore Ravens may have fallen just short this postseason, but their fingerprints were all over Super Bowl 60 - and not in the way their fans had hoped.
Former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now in his second year as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, just led his team to the mountaintop. A 29-13 win over the Patriots capped a remarkable season, and with it came a bit of sting for Baltimore.
There was a time when Macdonald looked like a potential successor to John Harbaugh. Instead, he’s building something special in Seattle - and he's not shy about drawing from his Ravens roots to do it.
The latest move? Daniel Stern, Baltimore’s director of football strategy and assistant quarterbacks coach, is heading west to join Macdonald’s staff. While his exact role hasn’t been officially announced, there’s buzz that he’ll step in as Seattle’s new pass-game strategist - a key hire following the departure of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Stern’s résumé speaks for itself. He spent a decade in Baltimore, playing a key role in the development of Lamar Jackson, helping craft game plans and managing critical in-game decisions like clock management and situational strategy. His experience is tailor-made for a Seahawks team that’s looking to keep its offensive momentum rolling.
And make no mistake: Seattle’s offense turned heads this postseason. Sam Darnold - yes, that Sam Darnold - played the best football of his career when it mattered most.
He was sharp, decisive, and turnover-free in both the NFC Championship win over the Rams and the Super Bowl triumph against New England. But Macdonald isn’t resting on that success.
He’s seen firsthand how quickly the league evolves, and he’s making sure his quarterback evolves with it.
That’s where Stern comes in.
Even with some uncertainty looming - Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is set to hit free agency - the Seahawks still have a strong offensive core. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, now the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, gives Darnold a dynamic weapon on the outside.
The foundation is there. What Macdonald is doing now is reinforcing it with people who understand how to build a winner - and who’ve done it before.
Macdonald made history this season as the first head coach to win a Super Bowl while serving as his team’s primary defensive play-caller. His defense, nicknamed “The Dark Side,” overwhelmed opponents with speed, discipline, and relentless pressure - a reflection of the identity he helped shape during his time in Baltimore.
Now, he’s taking that same blueprint and expanding it, making calculated moves to ensure the offense keeps pace with the defense. Bringing in Stern is more than just hiring a familiar face - it’s about adding a sharp football mind who understands how to support a quarterback, manage the flow of a game, and keep an offense humming in the biggest moments.
For Ravens fans, it’s a tough pill to swallow. Watching a former coordinator hoist the Lombardi Trophy - and then pluck another key piece from your staff - is never easy.
But it’s also a testament to the kind of culture Baltimore has built. That tree is bearing fruit elsewhere.
And in Seattle, Mike Macdonald is planting seeds for what could be the NFL’s next powerhouse.