Seattle, WA
Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald goes hands-on at Senior Bowl
Around this time last year, Mike Macdonald had just become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and had to assemble his staff in very short order.
This year, he was down in Mobile, Alabama watching some of this year’s top draft prospects at the Senior Bowl.
Head coaches usually have say in personnel decisions, but rarely do they travel across the country to scout a college all-star game in person. The Senior Bowl and events like it provide a chance to see more than tape alone can provide, though, and Macdonald was chomping at the bit for just that.
“That’s the driving force of why we’re down here,” Macdonald said, per Seahawks.com. “You talk about chasing edges. That little margin of, yeah, I can watch it on tape, but how do I feel guys in person? It’s different. It’s like being at practice and feeling players at practice vs. watching them execute on tape. It’s a similar relationship.
“Just watching one on ones, seeing how they handle it if they lose a rep, or when they win a rep, and watching them talk to teammates. There’s just little things you can pick up here and there. You’re trying to just feel them. Just feel who they are without them always being on their best behavior when they’re in a meeting or something. Just trying to get that extra angle of understanding what the type of player they are and what type of person they are. It’s been cool, it’s been a fun experience.”
Of course, Macdonald still tended to his coaching responsibilities while in Mobile, most notably helping new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak get acclimated. For the most part, though, his eyes were on the prospects in front of him.
Macdonald showed throughout his first season that he’s not afraid to make big moves. In the middle of the season, the Seahawks traded starting linebacker Jerome Baker for an upgrade in Ernest Jones IV and released Tyrel Dodson, their other starting linebacker, just weeks later. Sure, general manager John Schneider may have made those decisions, but Macdonald, a defensive guru, undoubtedly had a say in them.
Seattle, which holds the No. 18 overall pick in April’s draft, wants to make the jump from a good team to one that can really compete in the playoffs. Having Macdonald’s expertise for the scouting process should only help in that endeavor.
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As the holiday season ends, a new week begins, and one of the biggest events this week will be 2026’s first West Seattle Art Walk. The second Thursday is as early as it can get this month – on the 8th – so set your calendar for this Thursday as a special night to get out and enjoy the work of local artists. A preview with this quarter’s map/list and Thursday highlights should appear early in the week on the West Seattle Art Walk website. As usual, neighborhood organizations are supporting clusters of venues in Alki, Admiral, The Junction, and Morgan Junction; places with artist receptions usually start them at 5 pm. No Art of Music performances this month; that feature is on hiatus until later in the year.
Patrick Mahomes and 2025 MVP candidate Drake Maye are set to make trips to Lumen Field to face the Seattle Seahawks next season.
The Seahawks’ nine home and eight road opponents are now set for the 2026 campaign. They will face what on paper will be a tough slate after securing the NFC West title this year, which means they will take on the reigning division champions from the NFC North, NFC South and AFC East in addition to their home-and-home series with their NFC rivals and matchups against each team from the NFC East and AFC West.
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The full schedule with dates for games has yet to be released. The NFL typically unveils the following season’s schedule in May.
Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs and Maye’s New England Patriots coming to town are among the highlights of the Seahawks’ 2026 slate. They could also be in line for a reunion with former coach Pete Carroll, as a trip to Las Vegas to face the Raiders is on the docket. However, the Raiders are not expected to keep Carroll for a second season.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is in line to square off with one of his former mentors when Seattle hosts Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. Harbaugh was the head coach at the University of Michigan when Macdonald was the defensive coordinator in 2021. Harbaugh is also the dad of Seahawks special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.
Seattle has three trips to the east coast next season where they will face the reigning NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles, reigning NFC South champion Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders. The Seahawks also faced the Panthers and Commanders on the road this season.
Here’s a full look at Seattle’s 2026 home and away opponents.
Home
• Arizona Cardinals
• Los Angeles Rams
• San Francisco 49ers
• Chicago Bears
• New England Patriots
• Los Angeles Chargers
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Dallas Cowboys
• New York Giants
Away
• Arizona Cardinals
• Los Angles Rams
• San Francisco 49ers
• Carolina Panthers
• Las Vegas Raiders
• Denver Broncos
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Washington Commanders
Find more info on how each team’s opponents are chosen here.
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