Seahawks Receive Good News Before Super Bowl

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 7:27 AM ET

Last season, in his first year as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks , Mike Macdonald led his team to a 10-7 record. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Seahawks missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

Things have been much different for Macdonald and the Seahawks this season. With Sam Darnold as the team’s new QB1, Seattle clinched the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the conference with a 14-3 record in the regular season.

The Seahawks dominated the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, 41-6. They held off Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in the conference championship, 31-27. Macdonald and Co. are now headed to the Super Bowl to battle the New England Patriots on Feb. 8.

Mike Macdonald, coach of the Seahawks, at the NFL Combine.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Macdonald joined the Seahawks in 2024 after the team fired Pete Carroll. It marked Macdonald’s first stint as head coach after previously serving as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.

Macdonald turned things around for the Seahawks in 2025. They bagged the NFC West title for the first time since 2020. They carried over their success to the playoffs, and are now heading back to the Super Bowl after 11 long years.

Macdonald has been recognized for what he achieved in Seattle this season. 101 Awards, the nation’s longest-running awards program dedicated exclusively to the NFL, announced that Macdonald is the winner of the NFC Coach of the Year.

The 101 Awards was established in 1969 by Kansas City Chiefs founder and owner Lamar Hunt. It is considered one of the most esteemed award-giving bodies in the NFL.

Macdonald joins elite company with this honor. Some of the legends that have won the NFC Coach of the Year in the past include Bill Walsh, Chuck Knox, Joe Gibbs and Tom Landry, to name a few.

Macdonald now has an opportunity to make more history by leading the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title. Standing in their way are Drake Maye and the Patriots. Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 will be played at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, California, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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