NFL’s youngest head coach adding a younger assistant. Plus, latest on Seahawks’ OC search
The NFL’s youngest head coach is about to make his new Seahawks staff even younger.
Jay Harbaugh, Michigan’s special-teams coordinator under his father Jim, is near an agreement to become the Seahawks’ new special-teams coach. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated was the first to report that Monday.
The 34-year-old Harbaugh and Macdonald, 36, coached together on Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan staff in 2021. That was Macdonald’s only season as a college defensive coordinator, before he returned to the Baltimore Ravens to be their defensive coordinator the last two NFL seasons.
That 2021 college season with Macdonald was Jay Harbaugh’s third season as Michigan’s special-teams coordinator. The Harbaughs’ Wolverines beat Washington in the national championship game last month
Macdonald and Harbaugh also were together on the 2014 Baltimore Ravens staff of Harbaugh’s uncle, John. Macdonald was a 27-year-old intern for the Ravens in 2014 when Jay Harbaugh was a offensive quality control coach for Baltimore.
Jay Harbaugh was the longest-tenured Michigan assistant coach this past college season, at nine years working for his father.
Harbaugh has a varied background coaching multiple positions. In addition to special teams, he coached running backs, tight ends and safeties over the last decade.
Some around the Michigan program believed Jay Harbaugh was going to follow his father onto the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh Jan. 24 to be their new head coach.
Instead, Jay Harbaugh becomes the second known addition to Macdonald’s staff since the Seahawks introduced him Thursday to replace Pete Carroll as their ninth head coach. Friday, Macdonald hired former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator and Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier, 64, to be his assistant head coach for the Seahawks.
Macdonald and Frazier also worked together on John Harbaugh’s Ravens staff.
On Jan. 10 Seattle team chair Jody Allen fired Carroll, at 72 the league’s oldest coach this past season after his 14 years in charge of the team.
About that offensive coordinator
As Macdonald considers whom to hire as Seattle’s new offensive coordinator and play caller, he had an additional potential candidate become available Monday.
Eric Bieniemy will not return to the Washington Commanders’ staff in 2024. New Commanders coach Dan Quinn said that during his introductory press conference as Washington’s new coach.
Bieniemy, 54, was the Super Bowl offensive coordinator for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs until he left Andy Reid’s staff before the 2023 to join the Commanders.
Bieniemy interviewed with the Commanders last month about being their next head coach after Washington fired Ron Rivera. The Commanders hired Quinn, the former Seahawks Super Bowl defensive coordinator, last week. Quinn has since hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury to be Washington’s new offensive coordinator.
So Bieniemy is now free to talk to Seattle or anyone else if Macdonald wants a veteran coordinator with NFL experience calling the Seahawks’ offensive plays in 2024.
A league source told The News Tribune last week former Washington Huskies offensive coordinator and play caller Ryan Grubb, 47, is a candidate for the same job with the Seahawks.
Macdonald was interested in New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, 36, becoming his offensive coordinator in Seattle. But the Giants denied the Seahawks permission to talk to Kafka about that job, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported. Seahawks general manager John Schneider had two interviews last month with Kafka about the head-coaching position that went to Macdonald.
The Seahawks have requested to interview Detroit Lions passing-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand for Seattle’s OC job, Breer reported. Tampa Bay and New England reportedly are also interested in talking to Engstrand about their offensive coordinator openings.
Engstrand, 41, has been an offensive coordinator for two teams: the University of San Diego (2011-17) and the D.C. Defenders of the XFL in 2020. This past season was his second as the Lions’ passing game coordinator.
Macdonald was asked last week if his Seahawks offensive coordinator needs to have NFL experience calling plays.
“It’s not near the top of the list,” Macdonald said. “We’re looking for the right person to come in here and build this thing. So we want somebody that’s open-minded. That has a growth mindset. That can connect with their players and build a system that’s unique to the Seattle Seahawks that’s going to live here for a long time, and who’s going to be the one spearheading it.”
A familiar defensive coordinator?
The Seahawks consider Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen a candidate to possibly become Seattle’s new defensive coordinator, CBS Sports’ Jones reported.
Cullen, 56, has been a defensive coordinator for three teams, one in the NFL: the Jacksonville Jaguars (2021), the University of Indiana (2004) and the University of Richmond (1997-98, 2000).
Macdonald’s link with Cullen? Cullen was Baltimore’s defensive line coach from 2016-20, when Macdonald was a defensive assistant (2016), defensive backs coach (‘17) then linebackers coach (‘18-’20) for the Ravens.
Per NFL rules, Cullen isn’t available for any team to interview for any job until after the Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Macdonald confirmed the obvious last week: He is calling the Seahawks’ defensive plays. That’s what Schneider and the team hired him for, to import Macdonald’s schemes and play calls that made Baltimore’s defense the first in NFL history to lead the league in points allowed, sack and turnovers in the same season in 2023.
This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 4:55 PM.
