Gee Scott: ‘This is a new era, it starts today’ with Macdonald joining Seahawks

Three weeks after Pete Carroll’s legendary tenure as the Seattle Seahawks head coach ended, the franchise is hiring Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to be the team’s next head coach, according to multiple reports and later confirmed by the Seahawks.

Macdonald, 36, will be the youngest head coach in the NFL. Carroll, 72, was the oldest head coach in the NFL last season.

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“The Seahawks got their guy,” Gee Scott, co-host of The Gee and Ursula Show, said on-air as the news broke. “I think this is who the Seahawks wanted from the very beginning. He’s a young coach. He’s a defensive-minded coach and he’s one of the best coordinators in the game.

“He was responsible for a very good defense with the Baltimore Ravens,” Gee continued. “Even though they lost the last game to the (Kansas City) Chiefs, they still held one of the best offenses to 17 points.”

Last season, Baltimore led the league in points allowed (16.5) before holding its two playoff opponents — Houston and Kansas City — to 10 and 17 points, respectively.

“I think Mike Macdonald was a target that the Seahawks had all along,” Gee said. “They stayed patient. They waited. There was one of those things where they didn’t call too much. They didn’t text in the middle of the night. They were respectful.”

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Macdonald was the last name the Seahawks were reported to have interest in to talk to Seattle about its head coach vacancy, according to Seattle Sports. His first interview with Seattle took place Tuesday, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB, before flying into Seattle for a second interview on Tuesday morning, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported.

Coordinator Mike Macdonald vs. the NFC West

One of Macdonald’s big draws as the Seahawks’ next bench boss is his success against NFC West opponents. Last season, Macdonald’s defense went 4-0 against NFC West teams — including a 37-3 thumping against the Seahawks — while forcing nine turnovers in those games.

“Why (this hiring) is key is because two of the best play callers in the NFL reside in the same division as the Seahawks: Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers who are, oh by the way, in the Super Bowl this year and the Los Angeles Rams, who weren’t supposed to be that good this year, but because of how good Sean McVay is as a play caller, they made the playoffs,” Gee added. “The Seahawks need a defense that is going to stop the two best play callers in the National Football League.”

Macdonald inherits a defense that finished 25th in the league in points allowed, allowing the same amount of points per game as the year before (23.6). The defensive unit did feature three Pro Bowlers in linebacker Bobby Wagner, rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safety Julian Love. Wagner also made the NFL’s All-Pro 2nd team. Earlier this month, Wagner made it clear he is not retiring, according to Sports Illustrated.

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“Are we going to the playoffs next year?” Ursula Reutin, co-host of Gee and Ursula, asked.

“Hey, hey, hey, when a new step daddy moves in the house, you don’t ask him ‘Are we going to Disneyland tomorrow?'” Gee responded. “Let him get settled. Law what a pantry is where the closet is for extra washcloths and towels. We’re so busy. We got to get the new daddy in comfortable.”

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.