Mike Macdonald has already done enough in Seattle to earn plenty of attention, but Uchenna Nwosu thinks the Seahawks coach still isn’t getting nearly enough credit.
That’s the kind of praise that says a lot. Nwosu didn’t just point to wins or scheme. He zeroed in on the way Macdonald handles the room, and that’s where the Seahawks linebacker believes the coach separates himself.
Appearing on the Seahawks’ “Making a Champion” video series, which chronicles the team’s Super Bowl run from different players’ perspectives, Nwosu explained what stands out most about working under Macdonald.
“He trusts the leaders on the team to be able to police guys, so he doesn’t have to yell at you. When it’s time to be a coach, he’ll be a coach, of course.”
Nwosu said, “But he understands that it’s a player’s league and you need your guys to really step up. He doesn’t get enough credit, but he deserves more.”
Nwosu also said Macdonald has helped build a locker room built on connection, brotherhood and an egoless feel among the players. In his view, that kind of environment was a big part of Seattle’s success last season, and it started with the head coach before spreading through the roster.
Macdonald’s rise has been fast. The Seahawks made the bold move to move on from the Pete Carroll era, and within two seasons, they were rewarded with a championship under a coach who had spent the previous decade as a defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens under John Harbaugh, plus a one-year stint as the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan.
He’s now widely viewed as a top-10 coach in the league, and the respect from players like Nwosu helps explain why. Macdonald’s background fits the modern NFL mold, where younger head coaches with no prior head coaching experience are getting more opportunities and, in plenty of cases, delivering.
Ben Johnson with the Chicago Bears, Liam Coen with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kevin O’Connell with the Minnesota Vikings and DeMeco Ryans with the Houston Texans are part of that wave. Sean McVay remains the standard-bearer for the group, having already coached in two Super Bowls and won one at just 39.
The NFC West has become a strong example of that coaching model working, with Kyle Shanahan, McVay and Macdonald all showing that prior head coaching experience isn’t the deciding factor it once was.
For Seattle, though, the bigger point is simpler: the players believe in their coach. And when a veteran like Nwosu says Macdonald deserves more credit, that’s usually a pretty good sign the foundation in the building is strong.
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