On Wednesday afternoon, Mike Macdonald, the former defensive coordinator for the Ravens, decided to take over as the Seattle Seahawks’ next head coach.
For a Baltimore defense that was among the best in the NFL in 2023, it’s a significant loss.
There are more coaches leaving the Ravens besides Macdonald. According to Jordan Schultz, defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson is getting close to signing a contract to take over as the Titans’ next defensive coordinator.
Within a ten-hour period, two important members of the Ravens’ defensive coaching staff departed Baltimore.
The Titans’ head coach is Brian Callahan, a former offensive coordinator with the Bengals. He witnessed directly what Wilson and Macdonald accomplished defensively in Baltimore.
For Joe Burrow, the Bengals, and the entire AFC North, this is wonderful news.
Notably, the Bengals will face the Titans in Nashville the following season.
Further More
After their season concluded on Sunday, January 28, the Baltimore Ravens are now in a hurry to find a replacement for one of their most talented coaches. On Wednesday, January 31, ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that head coach Mike Macdonald would be joining the Seattle Seahawks after departing the Ravens.
The Ravens will now begin their search for a new defensive coordinator; however, Schefter also provided updates on that front.
“The Ravens need a new defensive coordinator, and Dennard Wilson, their defensive backs coach, is one of the most sought-after candidates out there,” Schefter said on social media. He immediately becomes a viable candidate to succeed Mike Macdonald.
According to the Ravens bio page, Wilson has been in the league for 12 years and is currently the team’s defensive backs coach. Although Wilson has played throughout the league, this was his first season with the Ravens.
According to his bio, Wilson “has played an important role in the development of several standout NFL DBs, including Marcus Maye, Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Jamal Adams.”
“The #Packers requested to speak with #Ravens secondary coach Dennard Wilson for their vacant defensive coordinator job, source said,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported. In addition, the Rams and Giants have spoken with him, and he is scheduled to interview with the Titans today for their position in Washington.
Since then, the Packers have added Jeff Hafley as their DC, but there are still plenty of opportunities for the Ravens’ coach.
The Seahawks may not be done stealing Macdonald.
Although Ravens supporters were aware that Macdonald would be in high demand from other teams, they were still holding out hope that the gifted coach would stay for another season. That optimism was dashed by Schefter’s post, “A youth revolution in Seattle: league sources tell ESPN that Seahawks are expected to select Ravens’ defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their new head coach.”
Additionally, Macdonald would now be the NFL’s youngest coach, Schefter noted. As per Macdonald’s bio, he began his career with the Ravens in 2014 as a “defensive coaching intern.”
After rising to the position of linebackers coach, he left in 2021 to become Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator in Michigan. After joining the Ravens again in 2022, Macdonald has developed one of the league’s most formidable defenses in the interim.
The Ravens defense under Macdonald finished first and third in terms of points allowed in 2022 and 2023. Now that he has to assemble his own coaching staff, Macdonald may attempt to entice Wilson to leave the Ravens and work for him.
In addition, the Ravens have a number of defensive free agents that saw success under Macdonald, including safety Geno Stone, LB Patrick Queen, and DT Justin Madubuike. They might run the risk of joining their former coach in the Seahawks organization.
Supporters Are Disappointed at Macdonald’s Death
Fans are upset by the loss of their youthful coordinator because Macdonald was seen as John Harbaugh’s successor as head coach in Baltimore.
A well-known Baltimore fan account, Ravens Nation Live, shared a message saying, “Thank you for everything, Mike. I’m sorry it couldn’t be in Baltimore, but you deserve that HC job. Proceed to excel in Seattle.
Some admirers posted something a little less tactful than others. One commenter stated, “The Ravens are moving forward with the head coach who looks confused on the sidelines 75 percent of the time. Kyle Van Noy & Jadeveon Clowney had career years in sacks under Mike Macdonald.”
“Ravens are an unserious franchise,” said a fan who thought Harbaugh and Macdonald were the wrong decision. It is an act of ineptitude to let a talented player like Mike Macdonald leave while keeping John Harbaugh around following ten years of dismal postseason performance.
Marlon Humphrey, the CB, even contributed to the posts. “I knew that locker room hug was the last one,” the author wrote.
