The Seahawks are free to announce their new coach without any obstacles at present.
The NFL conference championship games proved advantageous for the Seattle Seahawks in their quest for a new head coach.
According to reports, the Seahawks are considering Ravens Defensive Coordinator Macdonald and Lions Offensive Coordinator Johnson. The Baltimore Ravens fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 in the AFC Championship, while the Detroit Lions experienced a similar fate in the NFC Championship with a 34-31 loss against the San Francisco 49ers. This outcome has allowed Seahawks General Manager John Schneider to proceed with interviews.
Both the Ravens and Lions have coordinators who pique the Seahawks’ interest. While Seattle managed to conduct an initial interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson earlier this month, league rules prevented them from speaking with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald until the end of their season. Now that the Ravens’ season is over, the Seahawks can pursue Macdonald, whom they’ve expressed interest in.
The Seahawks, along with the Washington Commanders, are the only teams still seeking a head coach for the 2024 season. However, Washington has already initiated discussions with Macdonald. Nonetheless, the Seahawks can swiftly move to appoint a successor to Pete Carroll, who stepped down as head coach on Jan. 10 after 14 seasons.
With six other teams having already filled their head coaching positions this month, Macdonald and Johnson, along with former Titans coach Mike Vrabel and current Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn, are the top contenders. Quinn, in particular, is viewed as a strong fit for the Seahawks, having served as Carroll’s DC during Seattle’s back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. He also led the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl berth as head coach.
The Seahawks and Commanders may benefit from their patience, potentially securing coaches from the staffs of the teams that reached the conference championships.
Both Macdonald (36) and Johnson (37) offer a youthful perspective compared to the 72-year-old Carroll. Macdonald’s 2023 Ravens defense led the league in points allowed per game, sacks, and takeaways. Johnson’s Lions offense ranked highly in total yards and points over the past two seasons.
