Seahawks' Mike Macdonald Shares Plan For Starters in Final Preseason Game

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has been very particular about who he is allowing to play in the preseason, keeping virtually all of his starters on the sideline in each of the first two matchups.

There are benefits and drawbacks to playing starters in the preseason. It's good to get them game action before Week 1, but the injury risks in a game that doesn't count can often be too great. As a result, Macdonald plans to keep his starters on the sideline in the final contest against the Kansas City Chiefs at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.

"The starters, the guys that haven’t been playing, won’t play again," Macdonald said on Thursday. "Jalen [Milroe] is going to play the whole game. Drew [Lock] will be ready to go, but Jalen’s going to play the whole game."

That opens up opportunities for other players fighting for a roster spot or for another team to pick them up after cutdowns. Macdonald said some other important players will be held out, but every situation is different.

"We’re making some independent decisions on some guys, and it’s not really a declaration of status or anything — a lot of it has to do with just individual players, where they’re at," Macdonald added. "Some things are health-considered; some things are depth-considered. All of them have individual decision criteria, so I know it’s tough, but try not to jump to conclusions."

Aug 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8) during warmups before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What led to Macdonald not playing starters?

Some players, like rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price, have been dealing with injuries. That's enough to keep them on the sidelines before the regular season.

The Seahawks also did another joint practice with the Tennessee Titans before Week 2 of the preseason, and that was intended to supplement the lack of game reps for the starters. Then, with multiple key injuries this past week to wide receiver Jake Bobo and safety Bud Clark, Macdonald appears to be trying to preserve the health of his team before the regular season.

It's not a surprising approach, but it does mean there could be some rust needing to be knocked off in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Seattle lost its Week 1 game to the San Francisco 49ers in 2025 before pummeling them in the subsequent matchups on the way to the Super Bowl.

This Week 1 matchup is different, however, as it will be a rematch of Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots. Even though they won the game that really mattered, the Seahawks will want to hold onto their bragging rights a bit longer.

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