Mike Macdonald is taking his defense to the streets of Seattle.
The Seahawks will hire Macdonald as their next head coach, according to multiple reports.
Macdonald has been the Ravens’ defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Baltimore finished 2023 No. 1 in points allowed and No. 6 in yards allowed. In 2022, the club was No. 3 and No. 9 in the same categories.
Joining the Ravens in 2014, Macdonald began as a coaching intern. He moved on to coach defensive backs and linebackers before going to Michigan in 2021 to serve as Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator. Baltimore brought him back in 2022 to replace Wink Martindale as defensive coordinator.
Now Macdonald, 36, will become the youngest head coach in the league. Coincidentally, he’ll replace the man who was previously the oldest in Pete Carroll, who is 72.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted that the Seahawks were willing to wait if Macdonald had ended up coaching in the Super Bowl. Instead, the organization showed urgency instead of waiting minute by minute after the Ravens fell to the Chiefs. The team’s brass met with Macdonald in Baltimore on Tuesday before bringing him to Seattle on Wednesday to start finalizing an agreement.
Macdonald will receive a six-year contract, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
The Commanders now have the league’s lone remaining head coaching vacancy.