After a wave of head coach hires across the league, it was likely that the Baltimore Ravens would keep Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald, but that could still be in doubt.
If the Ravens lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks will interview the youthful wonder later this week, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Seahawks would not be able to interview Macdonald until after the Super Bowl if the Ravens win. In the lead-up to Wildcard Weekend, they lost the opportunity to interview him while the Ravens were on their first-round bye. Last season, before formally hiring Shane Steichen, who was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles through the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis Colts had to be just as patient.
The Seahawks will be interviewing Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson again in addition to interviewing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero of the Carolina Panthers twice over the weekend. But, if the Lions defeated the San Francisco 49ers, who are ranked first, they would have to wait to speak with Johnson once more.
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was also in conversation with Seattle early last week. They also had in-person interviews with Mike Kafka of the New York Giants and Patrick Graham of the Las Vegas Raiders, both of whom are offensive coordinators.
Along with Johnson, Macdonald was one of the most sought-after names in this year’s hiring cycle. There are only two positions available with the Washington Commanders in Seattle and the nation’s capital, and they have asked to interview both of them. If their current teams make it to the Super Bowl, the two young star play-callers might be captaining their own squad as early as this week or the second week of February. In Week 7, the Lions visited Baltimore, where the Ravens shredded and limited Detroit’s explosive offense to just six points.
Targeting Macdonald by the Seahawks would be a wise and progressive decision, considering how tough it has been to slow down the offense that Kyle Shanahan and similar players have been dealing with. Four offenses led by members of one of the greatest coaching trees in league history were defeated by the Ravens. The Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans are among the teams that are represented in this.
The 36-year-old is the league’s most effective defensive play-caller when it comes to stopping that kind of offensive approach. Macdonald is only in his second season of play-calling and play-designing for the strong Ravens defense. His group has a unique combination of young players on the rise and seasoned veterans, many of whom are in their prime of their careers.
Should Macdonald be plucked, the Ravens would need to move swiftly to have any chance of elevating Dennard Wilson, their defensive backs coach, who is becoming a highly sought-after candidate for defensive coordinator positions. It is anticipated that he will finally land a play caller position this cycle after interviews with the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and Rams over the weekend. Last season, Sean Desai, who was fired of his duties before the season even ended, was chosen over him for the Eagles role.
