The date is Jan. 11, 2010. The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a 5-11 season and are looking for their next man up at head coach. What they need is someone to get them over the hump and regain the success they saw when they reached Super Bowl XL just a few years prior. What they need is someone to rejuvenate their locker room and build a winning culture. They would do just that. The Seahawks hired Pete Carroll, who at the time was the head coach at University of Southern California (and a very successful one at that).
And oh boy, did they make a good decision.
Pete Carroll quickly became an icon for the city of Seattle, leading the team to an electrifying 41-36 wildcard win in his first season, which came alongside the infamous Beastquake run by Marshawn Lynch and four touchdown passes from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
This would be just a taste of what was to come.
Fast forward 14 seasons. The ‘Hawks have one Super Bowl win in two appearances, and a plethora of hall-of-fame-caliber players have come and gone. Names like Lynch, Russell Wilson and of course all the members of the Legion of Boom. These are the names and faces that made the Seahawks what they are today. These are the memories that Carroll has given to the 12s. These Seahawks teams were winners.
Since moving on from Carroll, Seattle has established a youth movement in the building, and they are not looking back.
On Jan. 31, the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald as their ninth head coach in franchise history. Macdonald, who is coming across the country from Baltimore, has seen tons of success at the NFL level as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens. The 2023 Ravens were the league’s top defense, being the first in history to earn a triple-crown in defensive stats like sacks, takeaways, and points allowed per game.
So what? What does this mean for the future of Emerald City football? Well, there’s lots of work to be done, but the future is bright. With many candidates on the board, many are speculating that Macdonald was leagues above the competition. His savvy defensive play-calling helped propel the Ravens to the top of power rankings lists across the country.
For the Seahawks, the hope is that Macdonald can turn this bottom-eight defensive unit into something greater. Seattle has an abundance of young talent, on both sides of the ball. Particularly on defense, names like Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Boye Mafe first come to mind. With the cornerstones already set in place, player development will be key for the next handful of years.
