Mike Macdonald 'Going To Miss' Boye Mafe's Defensive Impact For Seahawks

The Bengals are bringing Boye Mafe into their defense this fall after starting his career with Mike Macdonald and the Seattle Seahawks. Mafe played more of a backup role in 2024 and 2025 than he had before Macdonald took over as head coach in those seasons.

It caused his sacks and snap rate to fall, but the Seahawks head coach offered more context for that at this week's NFL Spring Meetings.

A 2022 second-round pick, Mafe produced 20 sacks in 34 starts during his four years in Seattle, but started just four games last season and played around 50% of the defensive snaps.

"I think to your point, like, actual pass rush stats are a little bit overrated," Macdonald said to The Enquirer's Kelsey Conway. "I think probably the best thing that Boye does is quick wins early, which was something that you need. You have to attack the quarterback fast, and some things that they like. Can he finish a bit better? Yeah, absolutely. But to get the quarterback off their spot, I mean, somebody else is probably making that play too. So again, another guy we were really excited about, and we are going to miss him."

Role Increase Expected

Bengals defensive end Boye Mafe speaks to the media during a press conference at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 12, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mafe will get every chance to play closer to 800-900 snaps as he did in Pete Carroll's last season leading Seattle in 2023. The Bengals paid him big money to come help aid one of the 15-worst pass rushes in the NFL last season.

Despite playing roughly 200 fewer snaps per year the last two campaigns, Mafe still produced 44-plus pressures after posting 58 in 2023. He maximized his chances well and should be a strong addition to the Bengals' rotation.

Fans are hoping he doesn't have to do it all like Trey Hendrickson had to so often in Cincinnati. Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden wants to see young guys like Shemar Stewart pop on the edge.

"I'm still really excited about Shemar," Golden said at the 2026 NFL Combine. "That was a difficult season to not have him for the offseason and most of the training camp. And then that was compounded, obviously, with the injury that set him back. I see a lot of really, really bright spots, and have to keep adhering to a process to continually get better, have consistency in his approach and his practice, and the results will come."

Check out the full quote from Conway's question below:

Super Bowl winning head coach Mike Macdonald on Boye Mafe, his strengths as a pass rusher & explaining the dip in sack numbers last season: pic.twitter.com/85OJFDywdN
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) March 30, 2026

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