Of the eight NFL teams with head-coaching openings following the 2023 season, only the Washington Commanders took longer to make a hire than the Seattle Seahawks.
When they announced Mike Macdonald as their new head coach on Feb. 1, the Seahawks insisted the wait would be worth it.
"It's been a long process," general manager John Schneider said in his introduction that day. "... Just so excited for everybody, because this is the future right here. This is where it's going. I think you're going to learn in getting to know Mike that he's a special dude."
As Schneider detailed that day, the Seahawks had to wait for the Baltimore Ravens to lose in the playoffs to be able to talk in person to Macdonald, who was their defensive coordinator.
Schneider had to sell the then 36-year-old Macdonald - who had been in Baltimore for all but one year since 2014 - on the job. He could have waited another year or two in Baltimore, secure that his stock wouldn't likely go down.
"It's a leap of faith," Macdonald said that day.
One that appears to be increasingly paying off for both sides.
The Seahawks beat Arizona 30-18 Sunday for their fourth win in a row to stay in first place in the NFC West and vastly increased their odds of winning their second division title sine 2016.
The Seahawks did so riding their defense - which held an opponent under 20 points for the fifth straight game - and running game, which gained a season-high 176 yards. Those were the two areas that slipped the most at the end of the Pete Carroll era.
"We have to be like that if we want to go where we want to go," Macdonald said on his radio show on Seattle Sports 710 Sunday of the running game coming alive.
Those outside of Seattle are noticing.
Macdonald is one of the fastest risers on BetMGM's list of favorites for NFL Coach of the Year and stands at 20-1, behind Detroit's Dan Campbell (minus-160), Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell (3-1), Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin (6.5-1), Washington's Dan Quinn (16-1) and Denver's Sean Payton (18-1).
As those odds dictate, Campbell seems almost certain to win the award.
Macdonald's odds indicate how his reputation has grown as the Seahawks have pulled out of their midseason slump. He was as low as 75-1 two weeks ago.
Of those listed above him, only Quinn was a new hire last season.
The Seahawks also interviewed Quinn, who was their defensive coordinator in 2013-14 before becoming coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.
Thanks to the quick emergence of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the second overall pick of the 2024 draft, Quinn's Commanders got off to a fast start, and for much of the year he's been the coach in his first year with his team who had the best record.
The Seahawks' surge put Macdonald in position to have the best record of the eight first-year coaches in the NFL this season - and what the organization would surely take as a sign that they made the right decision last January.
Let's look at all eight:
Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks (8-5): While the Seahawks need just one win to equal their record of the last two seasons, the schedule the rest of the way isn't easy. Their remaining strength of schedule is tied for fifth most difficult in terms of opponent win-loss percentage (31-21), facing three teams with winning records - Green Bay (9-4) on Sunday, Minnesota (11-2) on Dec. 22 and at the Rams (7-6) on Jan. 4-5. Macdonald is within reach of the best record for a first-year coach in team history - 9-7 for Chuck Knox (1983) and Mike Holmgren (1999).
Dan Quinn Washington Commanders (8-5): His ties to the Seahawks made Quinn the early favorite to take over for Carroll. Each side may be better off how it worked out as Quinn was able to reestablish himself outside of the Carroll shadow in Washington. One fun thing to think about is a possible playoff game between Washington and Seattle - which would also be a reunion with Bobby Wagner.
Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers (8-5): Harbaugh hardly feels like a first-year coach. But that's what he is with the Chargers. He seemed to have the most ready-made situation for any of the first-year coaches due to the presence of QB Justin Herbert. As expected, he's revived the team's defense as the Chargers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL (15.9 per game from 23.4 a year ago) and hold the sixth seed in the AFC - if the season ended today they'd play in Pittsburgh against Russell Wilson's Steelers. The Chargers have an advantageous schedule the rest of the way, and 11- or even 12-win season is possible.
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons (6-7): Morris, a former Tampa Bay head coach and Rams defensive coordinator, had a virtual interview with the Seahawks and an in-person one scheduled before he decided to take the Atlanta job on Jan. 25. The March trade for Kirk Cousins made it appear to be one of the better first-year coach situations, especially when the Falcons jumped out to a 6-3 start. Atlanta has lost four in a row as Cousins has thrown eight interceptions and no TDs, leading to calls to give former UW standout Michael Penix Jr. a shot.
Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers (3-10): The former Seahawk assistant, who was the OC with Tampa Bay, walked into tough rebuild with the Panthers coming off a 2-15 season and questions about QB Bryce Young. The Panthers are 28th in points scored and last in points allowed. They've won two of their past five with the three losses by six points or less, including tight defeats to the Chiefs and Eagles, and Young has shown some improvement of late. All meaning Canales likely gets at least a second year to get it done.
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots (3-10): The former Pats player and longtime assistant was owner Robert Kraft's hand-picked successor to Bill Belichick doesn't have Tom Brady to save the day. The Patriots may not win another game, facing Buffalo twice, Arizona on the road and the Chargers at home. Kraft may not want to admit a mistake one year in.
Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans (3-10): Callahan was the offensive coordinator for the Bengals. The Titans wanted a fresh start after the Mike Vrabel era. But they were surely hoping for better than ranking 30th in points scored (their QB situation is a muddle) and 27th in points allowed.
Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders (2-11): Pierce got the job on the strength of a 5-4 stint as the interim coach to end last season. Making the interim coach permanent has an uneven track record, and a bad QB situation and a defense allowing more than a touchdown more a game than a year ago has Pierce already on the hot seat.
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This story was originally published December 10, 2024, 4:56 PM.