Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald wanted to bring several assistants with him from Baltimore when he took the job in January 2024, but then-Ravens coach John Harbaugh blocked the move, Macdonald said in a new interview with Graham Bensinger.
Bensinger previewed the exchange in a post on X on Thursday. Macdonald admitted he was frustrated at the time. Looking back, he said the decision forced him to build Seattle his own way.
Macdonald arrived in Seattle alone. His wife, Stephanie, initially stayed in Baltimore.
He had spent nine of the previous 10 seasons with the Ravens. Macdonald joined Harbaugh’s staff as an intern in 2014 and worked his way up to linebackers coach before becoming defensive coordinator in 2022.
The lone year away came in 2021, when he ran the defense at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh.
Macdonald said on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” that he still credits both brothers for his career.
“I worked for 10 years for him; gave an honest decade of work for him and his brother,” Macdonald said. “I love him. I love his family. You tell me I got to work for Jim and John Harbaugh. I’m like one of four people that ever got to say that, and I take a lot of pride in that.”
The break still left him searching for his own footing. In Baltimore, Macdonald said, he viewed his job as building the defense Harbaugh wanted for his team.
“I was John’s guy that now doesn’t have John anymore,” Macdonald said.
He described 2024 as the most difficult stretch of his life. He told Bensinger he was left asking himself whether Mike Macdonald was good enough on his own.
Seattle’s first staff under Macdonald came from outside his Baltimore circle.
Aden Durde left his post as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach to become defensive coordinator. Ryan Grubb came from the University of Washington to run the offense, and Leslie Frazier joined as assistant head coach.
Jay Harbaugh, John Harbaugh’s son, left Michigan to take over special teams.
The Seahawks opened Macdonald’s first season 3-0, then lost five of their next six games. They finished 10-7 and missed the playoffs.
Year two looked nothing like it. Seattle went 14-3, earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed and beat the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX for the second championship in franchise history.
Harbaugh’s own path has changed since. The Ravens fired him in January after an 8-9 season, and the New York Giants hired him 11 days later.
Macdonald’s full interview airs on Bensinger’s program.
Seattle (1-0) visits the Arizona Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX. Drew Lock is expected to start with Sam Darnold sidelined by an injury suffered in the opener.
