Our guy, Mike Macdonald, just got ranked the third-best coach in the entire NFL, according to the Associated Press yearly rankings for 2026. That's right, the architect of our Super Bowl-winning defense with the Seahawks earlier this year has rocketed past some serious names, landing him above San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan, who slid to fourth.
The Rise of an Emerald City Genius
It's official: Macdonald is one of football's biggest risers over the past two years, and the AP clearly recognizes him as one of the game's best defensive minds. Think about it, the man has a Super Bowl to his name in just two years as a head coach. That's an incredible feat! He's right up there with the league's elite, with only Kansas City's Andy Reid, who claimed the top spot for the fourth straight year, and the Rams' Sean McVay ahead of him. McVay, a perennial top-five coach with a Super Bowl ring of his own, knows a thing or two about success, but our coach got the nod over Shanahan, whose lengthy resume includes four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls but no ring.The NFC West is Absolutely Stacked
This division is absolutely bonkers! The AP rankings have McVay at #2, Macdonald at #3, and Shanahan at #4. That's three NFC West coaches in the top four, folks! It just goes to show how good this division is right now, boasting three potential Super Bowl contenders. You've got McVay and Shanahan, two innovative offensive minds who consistently churn out top-five offenses and command massive respect as player-friendly leaders. Then there's Macdonald, arguably the best defensive mind in the game, bringing that Super Bowl hardware with him. It's wild to think Shanahan, lauded for years, is the only coach in the top five who hasn't hoisted a Lombardi. He had one of his best coaching jobs in 2025, leading an injury-depleted 49ers squad to 13 wins and a Divisional Round appearance after upsetting the Eagles, even with George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner missing big chunks of time. But still, no ring. Rounding out the top five was Denver's Sean Payton, who led the Broncos to a 14-3 record and an AFC Championship Game appearance. This year, the NFC West is shaping up to be a brutal gauntlet. With Macdonald leading the charge, and our Seahawks having already tasted that Super Bowl glory, the stakes couldn't be higher. We're looking at a true battle of coaching titans. Will Shanahan finally get his ring, or will Macdonald continue to solidify his place at the top of the coaching hierarchy? We're about to find out!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.