The Seahawks are one of two teams still with a head coaching vacancy. They have generated a healthy list of candidates given the number of staffers they have already met with, but at least one other coach is on the team’s radar. 
Seattle is interested in Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Brady Henderson report. That is noteworthy since the Seahawks have not yet spoken to Macdonald as part of their ongoing search (although he was floated as a potential candidate earlier this month). In spite of that, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times confirms the Seahawks plan to interview him as soon as possible.
Candidates on teams playing in tomorrow’s conference championship games were not allowed to take part in head coaching interviews this week per the modified league hiring rules. However, staffers who have spoken once with interested teams are allowed to conduct a second interview during the bye between the conference title games and the Super Bowl. Since Macdonald did not speak with the Seahawks at any point during the cycle, though, he would not be able to be interviewed or hired until after the Ravens’ season comes to an end.
Like Washington, Seattle is poised to wait out the upcoming games before progressing further in its HC search. The Seahawks established a five-man list of staffers to conduct a second interview with, including Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The former Seahawks DC was immediately named as a serious candidate to replace Pete Carroll, and Dallas’ decision to retain Mike McCarthy could leave a return to the Emerald City as Quinn’s best path to another head coaching opportunity.
The 53-year-old had a run of five-plus years with the Falcons, making him an experienced option receiving interest from Seattle. The same is true of Mike Vrabel, whose tenure with the Titans came to an end this offseason. Vrabel has been labeled a Seahawks candidate, but the parties have not met at this point. Macdonald contrasts with those options given his thinner resume, but he has seen his rising stock result in notable interest around the league.
The latter is in just his second season as an NFL coordinator, but the Ravens’ performance on defense in 2023 has made Macdonald one of the league’s rising defensive minds. The 36-year-old’s unit has been a central factor in Baltimore’s return to the AFC title game for the first time in 11 years, and he has been connected to six HC vacancies in this year’s cycle. Macdonald is also on the radar of the Commanders, though their search continues to point more firmly toward Lions OC Ben Johnson than anyone else.
If the Seahawks follow through on their interest in Macdonald, they may need to wait until after the Super Bowl to officially hire him, depending on how tomorrow’s action plays out. Seattle could thus run the risk of losing out on another top candidate in the meantime, though the team does only have one remaining competitor on the head coaching front. In any case, Macdonald’s future will be worth watching closely with respect to both vacancies.
