Before the Seattle Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald to be their next head coach after Pete Carroll was removed from his duties, the San Francisco 49ers were having their way with the 12s' favorite team. Seattle was never going to win the NFC West if it couldn't overcome San Francisco. Macdonald has changed that.
And he has partly changed the Seahawks' narrative because his defense is simply giving 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy the worst time of his life. Purdy has had an unexpectedly great career after being the last pick in the 2022 draft, and he is expected to be the starter in San Francisco for years to come.
That should be a good thing for Macdonald and Seattle. Purdy hasn't just struggled in his most recent games against Seattle, but he had a terribly awful time against Macdonald when the coach was still the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.
Seattle Seahawks' Mike Macdonald has to be in the head of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy
On Christmas Day in 2023, Purdy threw four interceptions against the Ravens in a 33-19 loss. That number of picks is still a career-worst for the quarterback.
While Purdy had a good game against the Seahawks in his first matchup against Macdonald as Seattle's coach, things have gotten worse since. In three games against Seattle in 2025 (one was a victory, but that was way back in Week 1), Purdy's offense has a total of 26 points, and only nine in the last two.
Those games were back-to-back victories for the Seahawks, the latest coming in the Divisional Round in a 41-6 Seattle victory in which Purdy had an interception and a fumble. Ultimately, after Seattle kick returner Rashid Shaheed took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, the game was over. The seven points from the first play of the game were more than Purdy's offense could muster.
In five career games against Mike Macdonald, Brock Purdy has a dismal passer rating of 79.7 with six touchdowns (none in the last two matchups) and eight interceptions. If Seattle can point to one reason why, in two seasons with Mike Macdonald, they have become kings of their division, it is because of the head coach's mastery over Brock Purdy.
Could things change in 2026 and beyond? Sure, but Macdonald isn't going anywhere, and neither is Purdy. Maybe the San Francisco 49ers will be healthier next season when taking on the Seattle Seahawks, but Macdonald's defense will still have the talent to defeat Purdy's team. The quarterback might as well get used to it, if he isn't thinking about it already.