Seahawks Rebuild Quickly to Reach Super Bowl

Head coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider lead Seahawks' turnaround after missing playoffs in 2023

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:39pm

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The Seattle Seahawks have rebounded quickly to reach the Super Bowl just two years after missing the playoffs in 2023. Under new head coach Mike Macdonald and veteran GM John Schneider, the Seahawks won their division and tied for the best record in the NFL this season. Insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated credits Macdonald's clear vision and Schneider's roster moves for the team's rapid turnaround.

Why it matters

The Seahawks' quick return to Super Bowl contention after a down year in 2023 shows the value of continuity in the front office and a collaborative approach between the head coach and GM. Their success also highlights how quickly NFL teams can turn things around with the right leadership and personnel decisions.

The details

In 2024, the Seahawks replaced longtime head coach Pete Carroll with Mike Macdonald. While the team went 10-7 that first year and missed the playoffs, Macdonald was able to get the team on the same page with his defined vision. This allowed GM John Schneider to make key roster moves to fill out the team, adding players like QB Sam Darnold, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, WR Cooper Kupp, and others. The result was a 14-3 season and the Seahawks' first division title since 2020.

  • In 2024, the Seahawks replaced Pete Carroll with Mike Macdonald as head coach.
  • In 2024, the Seahawks finished 10-7 but missed the playoffs.
  • In 2025, the Seahawks won their first division title since 2020 with a 14-3 record.

The players

Mike Macdonald

The Seahawks' head coach who took over in 2024 and quickly got the team on the same page with his defined vision.

John Schneider

The Seahawks' veteran general manager who was named NFL Executive of the Year for his roster moves that helped the team return to the Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“The key, to me, to all this working has been that the head coach came in with a defined vision in what he was looking for, which gave the GM a clear roadmap in how to build the football operation up. And in Seattle, that really came together this year.”

— Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated Insider (Sports Illustrated)

“In fact, back in the summer, that was one of the things you heard over and over again—that Seattle's roster has become a reflection of what Macdonald was building, much more so than it was in 2024. And that's manifested, of course, with what's played out on the field, with an incredibly connected and cohesive team, and one that added guys like Sam Darnold, DeMarcus Lawrence, Cooper Kupp, Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori to fill the vision out.”

— Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated Insider (Sports Illustrated)

What’s next

The Seahawks will face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 9, 2026.

The takeaway

The Seahawks' quick turnaround from missing the playoffs in 2023 to reaching the Super Bowl in 2025 demonstrates the value of continuity in the front office and a collaborative approach between the head coach and general manager. Their success shows how NFL teams can rapidly rebuild with the right leadership and personnel decisions.