Changing coaches is always risky, of course. But for the Seattle Seahawks after the 2023 season, the gamble was even greater. The team removed Pete Carroll from all of his duties except "advisor," a role that was in name only. He had been in charge of the team since 2010, and many of his early years were highly successful.
Plus, Carroll was a well-liked coach by fans. His positivity was contagious, and he seemed to be a pretty good person who saw most people equally. Seattle wasn't just losing a coach; the organization was also getting rid of a good guy.
Would the next coach be the opposite of Carroll? The new guy might be a person who might win games, but ultimately comes off as a jerk to the media and fans. The answer to that has been a resounding no. Mike Macdonald is different than Pete Carroll, but in many ways the same.
Seattle Seahawks were brilliant to hire Mike Macdonald two seasons ago
Macdonald comes across as if he is much like the rest of us. He admits he was a failed player, but like Carroll, he wouldn't say his scheme is failing. Perhaps he could do a better job calling defensive plays at times, but the system is effective. He would be correct in his argument.
Seattle's defense is second in yards allowed per play (4.6), fifth in turnovers created (24), and second in points allowed per game (18.1). The system works.
After a few years of trending toward long-term mediocrity, Mike Macdonald's leadership has, in just two years, put a team on the verge of potentially being the top seed in the NFC. Seattle, while never being truly bad, has only won the NFC West since 2016 (2020), and has a chance to take the division with a victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.
Macdonald's team has done it the way the head coach promised it would when he was hired, too. The defense would be elite, and the offense would operate at a high level of efficiency. Since the 2024 bye week, when the Seahawks were 4-5, they have gone 19-5.
The worst thing that could happen in Week 18 is that the Seattle Seahawks lose to the 49ers and start on the road in the first round of the NFL playoffs. The key is that the team would still be in the postseason. Meanwhile, Pete Carroll's new team, the Las Vegas Raiders, is 2-14 and is likely to undergo a coaching change.
That would be a precipitous fall for the Carroll. He would have gone from being essentially fired (he still received payment from Seattle in 2024, as his contract had previously been guaranteed) by Seattle to being one-and-done in Vegas. The Seahawks, though, are doing just fine with Mike Macdonald.