SAN FRANCISCO — It took just two seasons for Mike Macdonald to take the Seattle Seahawks from playoff observer to Super Bowl champions.
The dominant defensive performance in a blowout win over the New England Patriots underscored the defensive guru’s place among the top young minds in the NFL. Macdonald is the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl (38 years, 227 days old). His 17 victories this season set a new record for the most wins in a season by a head coach under 40 years old (including playoffs).
With a young head coach and a roster built by general manager John Schneider to last, Seattle won’t be a one-hit wonder. The Seahawks could just be hitting their stride under Macdonald. After a swift ascent to the mountain top, it’s never too early to start thinking about that elusive repeat.
Next season, Seattle hosts the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.
Here are my top four matchups for the Seahawks to begin their Super Bowl defense in 2026’s NFL Kickoff Game:
