Seahawks fans can rest easy on Seattle's interest in Ben Johnson and Mike Macdonald

The Seattle Seahawks are in no rush to replace Pete Carroll as head coach. Sure, the team likely needs to do that before the first part of February because otherwise, other head coach-needy teams are going to start snatching up candidates. Jim Harbaugh is likely going to the Los Angeles Chargers, for instance.

Seattle has reportedly asked permission to interview at least 10 NFL coaches. They do not need to ask permission to interview others, such as Mike Vrabel or USC's Lincon Riley. Those coaches are either not employed or work for a college team so no permission is needed. Vrabel, for one, has been linked closely with Seattle.

But there are two current coordinators who are hot names for NFL coaching searches who Seahawks fans might be worried that won't find their way to be interviewed by Seattle. Those two are Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Rest assured, 12s. Johnson or Macdonald could still be named as the Seahawks' next head coach.

Seahawks reportedly still interested in Ben Johnson and Mike Macdonald as next head coach

Johnson has already done a virtual interview with Seattle. Macdonald has not but that is because Carroll was removed from his head coaching gig relatively late in the first week after the regular season ended. Macdonald's Ravens were on a bye week since the Ravens were the top seed in the AFC and his interview window closed quickly. Neither Johnson nor Macdonald can be interviewed now until after thier seasons end so the Seahawks have not had a recent opportunity to interview Johnson again or Macdonald for the first time.

This does not mean the Seahawks are not interested in either coach, though. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Seattle is very much still interested in both Johnson and Macdonald. The question is whether Seattle is so interested in either of them that the team waits and risks not being able to hire the coach and then a bunch of the rest of the coaches being interviewed have been hired elsewhere.

Johnson and Macdonald both look like they are worth the wait to interview. Oddly, Seahawks fans might root against the Lions and Ravens in this week's conference championship games. Once the Lions and Ravens lose, their coordinators are free to interview for head coaching gigs elsewhere.

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