Seahawks' Mike Macdonald Stays Brutally Honest in Title Defense

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald won't change his tune after winning the Super Bowl last season.

He still doesn't care. The Seahawks arguably have a bigger target on their backs than the U.S. men's national team did against Belgium at Seattle's Lumen Field in the World Cup this month.

“Yeah, I don’t care,” Macdonald told The Athletic's Vic Tafur. “Don’t care. If you start worrying about what everybody else is doing, it’s just mentally taxing. It’s so much easier if you don’t."

In the Seahawks' division alone, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers made improvements to contend for the NFC West. Other contenders in both the NFC and AFC made strides this offseason to catch the Super Bowl champions, and that includes the AFC champion New England Patriots adding star wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Seattle opens with the Patriots in Week 1 for a Super Bowl rematch. A retooled Kansas City Chiefs team will also get a shot at the Seahawks this season, as will the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles - all contenders to watch for.

While Seattle returns most of last season's Super Bowl roster, the Seahawks no longer have Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III. He joined the Chiefs this offseason as a free agent.

“Let’s just worry about the Seahawks and being the best version of ourselves and getting better every day," Macdonald said.

He's expecting this year's Seahawks to make their way in 2026. With Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold set for a second year in the Pacific Northwest, the defending Super Bowl champs are thinking repeat, even if the rest of the country isn't.

"When it’s time to play those (other) guys, we’ll be ready and put together a game plan and go rock and roll," Macdonald said.

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This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 8:35 AM.