Mike Macdonald Won a Super Bowl in Year Two and Still Got Ranked Fourth: That's Wild

Mike Macdonald is 38 years old, just finished his second season as the Seahawks head coach, and he's already got a Super Bowl ring. So why is he sitting at No. 4 in NBC Sports analyst Patrick Daugherty's head coach rankings? That's the kind of disrespect that makes you shake your head.

Look, the facts are simple: Macdonald took a team that nobody expected to sniff the playoffs and turned them into the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks won 14 games, a franchise record, and their defense finished as the league's top scoring defense. That's not luck. That's coaching.

What Daugherty Actually Said About Macdonald

Even Daugherty gets it, honestly. He called Macdonald a "genius" when it comes to shutting down opposing offenses and quarterbacks. And on the flip side, he praised Macdonald's decision to start Sam Darnold, hire offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and feature Jaxon Smith-Njigba as moves that built a championship-caliber offense without a true franchise superstar at receiver.

"His judgment is almost as good on offense, where his decisions to start Sam Darnold, hire Klint Kubiak and feature Jaxon Smith-Njigba made the group formidable enough to win a championship without a true franchise player," Daugherty wrote. "That's not easy in any era, but particularly now."

So if Daugherty thinks those are genius moves and the guy won a Super Bowl before turning 40, why is he ranked fourth?

Reid, McVay, and Shanahan Ahead of Him. Really?

Daugherty has Andy Reid at No. 1, Sean McVay at No. 2, and Kyle Shanahan at No. 3. Reid and McVay both have Super Bowl rings like Macdonald. Shanahan doesn't. Daugherty says Shanahan gets the edge because he achieved so much with an injured roster. But here's the thing: Macdonald had even lower expectations with the roster he inherited and he overachieved. He went from a team nobody believed in to the best record in franchise history.

The Seahawks came into the season with serious doubts. Macdonald merged what worked from the Pete Carroll era with his own defensive philosophy and created something dangerous. His sample size is small, sure, but he won a championship. That should count for something.

Based on how the Seahawks performed this season, Macdonald belongs at the top of any head coach rankings. Period.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.