The Seattle Seahawks’ dramatic rise under Mike Macdonald continues to receive national recognition.
Macdonald placed second in CBS Sports’ ranking of the NFL’s top head coaches entering the 2026 season, finishing ahead of Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid and every other coach except Sean McVay.
The ranking represented a climb for a coach who has completed only two seasons in Seattle.
Macdonald received 85 points in the CBS Sports voting, including at least one first-place vote, and edged Shanahan by one point for the No. 2 spot.
Following a season in which the Seahawks won a franchise-record 14 regular-season games and defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, CBS Sports credited Macdonald’s defensive expertise and his willingness to make major changes after a 10-7 debut season.
Those decisions helped move Seattle from a team outside the playoffs to a champion in one year.
Macdonald’s Seahawks Reset Paid Off
GettyRENTON, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 01: John Schneider, general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, poses with Mike Macdonald as Macdonald is announced as the new Seattle Seahawks head coach at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on February 01, 2024 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Macdonald didn’t respond to a winning first season in 2024 by preserving the roster and coaching staff around him.
Seattle traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, dismissed offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and brought in Sam Darnold and Klint Kubiak.
The overall plan became obvious during the Seahawks’ championship run.
Darnold helped Seattle set a franchise record with 483 points during the regular season.
The Seahawks also finished with a league-best plus-191 point differential and closed the year on a 10-game winning streak, including the playoffs.
CBS Sports writer Zachary Pereles mentioned those decisions while explaining Macdonald’s ranking.
“Macdonald has been simply outstanding, and like McVay, he’s done so while being bold,” Pereles wrote.
That ability to move quickly separates Macdonald’s first two seasons from the typical progression of a first-time head coach.
Seattle improved from 10 victories to 14 and won a second Super Bowl title in franchise history after topping the NFC West.
Macdonald also became the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl at 38, trailing only McVay and Mike Tomlin.
Seahawks Defense Boosts Macdonald’s Case
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 30: Ty Okada #39 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with members of the defense after his fumble recovery against the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter of a game at Lumen Field on November 30, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Seattle’s offense gave the team balance, but Macdonald’s defense supplied the identity he was hired to build.
The Seahawks allowed 17.2 points per game, finishing first in scoring defense for the first time since 2015.
They also held opponents to an NFL-low 3.7 yards per rushing attempt and went 26 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.
The defense delivered a massive statement against the Patriots.
Seattle sacked Drake Maye six times and forced the quarterback into three turnovers in the Super Bowl.
Devon Witherspoon forced the decisive pressure in the fourth quarter, hitting Maye as he threw and sending the ball into the hands of Uchenna Nwosu for a 45-yard interception return.
The play capped a game in which Seattle kept New England scoreless through three quarters.
The Seahawks forced punts on the Patriots’ first eight full possessions before producing three takeaways in the second half.
CBS Sports highlighted Macdonald’s ability to disguise pressure and send rushers from different levels of the defense.
The performance reinforced the same qualities that made him one of the league’s most respected defensive coordinators before Seattle hired him.
But Macdonald now enters Year 3 with expectations that have changed considerably.
He owns a championship and a national ranking above Shanahan and Reid.
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