Former Georgia assistant is third-youngest coach to win a Super Bowl

Former Georgia Bulldogs assistant Mike Macdonald pulled off a historic feat. He became the third youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl after his Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LX 29-13. He was just 38 years old when he led the Seahawks to an impressive defensive performance in their Super Bowl win.

Before his time as an assistant coach at Georgia, Macdonald was a former two-star athlete at Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL, forcing him to retire from playing football. He studied finance at Georgia, but when he started his coaching career at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Georgia, he came in with no playing experience in college or the pros.

Macdonald joined the Bulldogs and Mark Richt's coaching staff as a graduate assistant in May 2010. He was promoted to defensive quality control assistant in 2011, coaching the safeties as well. He earned his master's degree in sports management from Georgia in 2013.

After his time in Georgia (as student and coach) came to an end, Macdonald was hired by the Baltimore Ravens in 2014 as a coaching intern. He was promoted to defensive assistant in 2015, then to defensive backs coach in 2017, then to linebackers coach in 2018-20. He coached under John Harbaugh.

The Michigan Wolverines, led by John's brother Jim Harbaugh, hired Macdonald as their defensive coordinator in 2021. He led them to the 8th ranked scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 17.4 points per game. The Wolverines made their first College Football Playoff appearance, with a 34-11 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

The Ravens noticed Macdonald's strong season with the Wolverines and hired them as their defensive coordinator. With the Ravens, he coached the third-ranked scoring defense in 2022 (18.5 points per game) and the best scoring defense in 2023 (16.5 PPG). He coached former Georgia Bulldog linebacker Roquan Smith to two straight First-Team All-Pro seasons (2022-23), and he paired up with former Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken to turn the Ravens into one of the best teams in the NFL in 2023.

The Seattle Seahawks hired him as their head coach ahead of the 2024 season, and he obviously didn't disappoint. The Seahawks just barely missed the playoffs in 2024, but in 2025, they've received the ultimate glory, and Mike Macdonald can lead the Seahawks on many more playoff runs with his defensive scheme. He was definitely raised in a system to win with Georgia.

Youngest head coaches to win a Super Bowl

1. Sean McVay (36 years, 20 days, Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles Rams, 2022)
2. Mike Tomlin (36 years, 323 days, Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2009)
3. Mike Macdonald (38 years, 227 days, Super Bowl LX, Seattle Seahawks, 2026)
4. Jon Gruden (39 years, Super Bowl XXXVII, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2003)
5. Tom Flores (41 years, Super Bowl XV, Oakland Raiders, 1981)

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Former Georgia Bulldogs assistant Mike Macdonald wins Super Bowl