The NFL is host to many younger head coaches today, as the recent trend continues its path of hiring coordinators with no prior head coaching experience. For most, it's proved successful, with several franchises that have carried on the trend beginning to look up rather than down.
Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears), Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars), Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota Vikings), and DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans) are just some examples of the younger head coaching generation that have proved to be excellent in their jobs. Sean McVay is the poster boy for that younger generation and remains one of the youngest head coaches at 39.
McVay has had the most success of this generation, having coached in two Super Bowls already and winning one. McVay might have started the recent trend of hiring coordinators with no head-coaching experience, and for good reason.
Seattle Seahawks' Uchenna Nwosu praises Mike Macdonald for his willingness to trust the team leaders
So, several years later, the Seattle Seahawks followed suit, hiring Mike Macdonald, who, according to Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Macdonald is the most recent younger-generation head coach to win a Super Bowl, having led the Seahawks to the championship last year. The Seahawks made the bold decision to leave the Pete Carroll era, and it paid off within two seasons. Macdonald represents what most NFL franchises are looking for in a head coach these days. Some have missed the mark, while others have not.
The NFC West is the perfect example of NFL teams succeeding because Kyle Shanahan is considered a top-five head coach in the league alongside McVay, although he is older than his Rams counterpart. All three of Shanahan, McVay, and Macdonald are proof that prior head coaching experience doesn't necessarily mean much today.
For Macdonald, his previous decade of work as a defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens under John Harbaugh (with a one-year stint as the defensive coordinator with the University of Michigan) was more than enough experience to land him an NFL head coaching job.
After his first two seasons at the Seahawks' helm, Macdonald is quickly rising up the coaching ranks and is widely considered a top-10 coach in the league.
That said, after Macdonald's success last season and his rapid ascension in the coaching ranks, Seahawks veteran linebacker Uchenna Nwosu believes his coach is still not receiving the credit he deserves for his success in Seattle.
Appearing on the Seahawks' “Making a Champion” video series, which chronicles the team's Super Bowl run from different players' perspectives, Nwosu explains what he loves about playing under Macdonald while speaking on the "credit" issue.
“He trusts the leaders on the team to be able to police guys, so he doesn’t have to yell at you. When it’s time to be a coach, he’ll be a coach, of course.” Nwosu said, “But he understands that it’s a player’s league and you need your guys to really step up. He doesn’t get enough credit, but he deserves more.”
Nwosu credited Macdonald for creating a culture of connectivity in the locker room. He would further go on to talk about the brotherhood and egoless vibes amongst all Seahawks players. The Seahawks' success last season stemmed from strong relationships and support among the team. All of that started with Macdonald and trickled down the line.
Nwosu and other Seahawks players have a deep level of respect for Macdonald. That's the response you get from players when a new head coach steps in and respects his players first. Macdonald is on a trajectory that should be envied but also closely monitored from a distance by others in his position.
There are many things Macdonald does right, but his ability to trust his players is the highest amount of respect. Leading a winning football team that can regularly compete for a championship brings it all together.
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