Mike Macdonald lands at the top of 'unproven' tier in NFL head coach rankings

Despite questions that need to be answered regarding their offseason roster moves, second-year head coach Mike Macdonald has Seattle Seahawks fans hopeful they can find success in 2025. Macdonald, who was a former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens and Michigan Wolverines, helped them improve on that side of the ball in 2024, and they should see more progress in year two.

Outside of Seattle, however, the expectations aren’t as high. The Seahawks have been questioned as contenders, with analysts lining up to bash their signing of Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp. To be fair, that’s more about the players they’re replacing — Geno Smith and DK Metcalf — but the concerns are still there.

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That’s why it’s imperative that Macdonald gets his team on the same page. While fans believe that will happen, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin isn’t sold just yet. Benjamin ranked all 32 NFL head coaches, placing Macdonald at No. 21, which had him in the “unproven or underwhelming” tier.

”Seattle didn't make it to the dance in Macdonald's first year replacing Pete Carroll, but the defense found an identity again. The next steps are a mystery, given the club's simultaneous investments in both Band-Aid veterans (i.e.Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp) and long-term building blocks (i.e. Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori). At minimum, Macdonald should have them scrappy.” — Benjamin, CBS Sports

Seattle might not have a roster full of superstars, but they have a solid plan. They want to win in the trenches and focus on the ground game offensively. If they can do that again this season, they might threaten for a playoff berth — helping Macdonald move away from the “unproven” label.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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