Mike Macdonald is a defensive genius: To win the Super Bowl, he became more than that - The Athletic

In year 2, MacDonald figured out how to more effectively connect and lead with his entire roster.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Walking to quarterback to meet fellow quarterback Mike Vrabel, victory in Super Bowl 60 secured and his celebratory Gatorade bath at the ready, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike McDonald kept it together.

He allowed a short laugh after drinking a strong drink, but after Macdonald's Seahawks got an impressive 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday, he quickly got back to business when he approached his opponent.He and Vrabel exchanged quick-but-hearty handshakes.

At the same time, the growth of the period began. Standing in the middle of the field, looking at the sky, the 38-year-old MacDonald breathed his last.In his mind's eye, he saw the fireworks that started above Levi's Stadium and the green and blue confetti falling onto the field.He repeated twice, his hands on his knees, his thoughts overwhelming him.

His defense had another signature performance, finishing with three sacks, six tackles for loss and a touchdown.Seattle's offense played calmly and patiently; they didn't turn the ball over in the process.Two years after taking over for predecessor Pete Carroll, a Super Bowl champion, McDonald brought home the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

After his huddle, McDonald walked around the field, hugging players, assistant coaches and staff while Seahawks fans, "The 12's," cheered and danced in the stands.

About an hour later, the Seahawks locker room was in full celebratory mode.Cigar smoke filled the air, champagne flowed, and the bass was pounding.The coach entered the interview room, took his place in front of the microphone, and did his best to summarize the feelings and the journey that had just ended at the top of the mountain.

"That's why you train. That's why you want to do it at this level," Macdonald said."Because you have the opportunity to bring together the 12, the people of our community and our players who want to be champions. That's what excites you. For us to do this for our community and for our team, there is nothing better."

McDonald is regularly praised for his defensive abilities.And for good reason.This postseason alone has surprised three of the game's sharpest offensive players: San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan.49ers, Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and Josh McDaniels.New England offensive coordinatorBut McDonald won the Super Bowl because he was more than just a defensive line coach.He did it because in his second year he came up with a way to more effectively connect and lead the entire team.Not just defensive playersand how to create a more cohesive unit from these players.

Ask any member of the Seahawks organization about McDonald's leadership, and they'll all give the same answer.They all agree that he is demanding.Whether it's during the offseason, regular season or playoffs, McDonald finds ways to lift his players while urging them to give their all to better themselves and the team.But McDonald's has also fostered a culture that is strong on accountability.With his prowess, he also apologizes to the players when he falls short as a coach.

Players say one of the most important things Macdonald has done is instill a strong sense of unity in the team.From the first practice meeting of the season, Macdonald emphasized the importance of connection.He preaches it, but he practices it and builds personal relationships with his players in ways he didn't during his rookie season.

"We joke with him and say he's basically an artificial intelligence and then he learns to be human," Leonard Williams said."It's just an inside joke, but I think he's a smart guy. He's all about football. But the way he treats us in the building, it's like we're his family now."

Additionally, Macdonald facilitated greater team bonding opportunities for his players by building blocks of time into their schedules for this purpose.

"Every four weeks, we would take an hour out of our meeting time and meet in small groups - break out - and talk to the guys and just talk," Cooper Kupp said."Some of it was football. Some of it was just life. It was just getting to know each other. You learn how people see the game. You learn how people see life, how they react to the adversities they had, and it was really nice to learn from your friends and live the moments with them."

The drills did as McDonald had hoped.Offensive players bond with defensive partners and special teams contributors.Veterans took on mentoring roles for younger players.Together, they embarked on a quest for excellence.

Winning the Super Bowl was the main goal of the Seahawks, but Macdonald thought it was appropriate to keep things simple, and encouraged his players to set a series of achievable goals that would ultimately lead to the success of the championship.

"You don't have expectations. You want to reach your daily goals," McDonald said."We knew at the beginning of the season that we had to meet our daily goals to be a championship team. ... 'Let's do everything we can to make the playoffs, win our division, make as many home games as possible,' ... you have to come out on top to make that happen."

Step by step, the Seahawks began to grow and rise, and at the most important stage of the season - when Seattle got to fight for the NFC West crown after the Week 11 loss to the Rams in the conflict - the players responded with their best football of the season.

"Before we step on the field, we look each other in the eye and say, 'Hey, man, we're going to do this. We're the best in the world,'" Williams pointed out.“And I don't think we're saying that from a place of ego or a place of overconfidence or anything.

The Seahawks believed their confidence in their coaches would set them up for success and each other's ability to execute on the field.That fueled them throughout the regular season, and that momentum carried over into the postseason.They won 10 straight games en route to Sunday's climax.

“One of the best things about our team is that we grow together,” McDonald said.“And that's part of life.It's a journey.My faith wasn't always strong.Do you have any questions?And it was like a roller coaster ride.Many years agoIt's gotten stronger... It's a journey we've been on together.It's empowering.

"And what you saw today is the end of a team that has been committed to being this team since we got here in April."

What we've seen in Year 2 is the growth of a coach who has matured into not only a defensive master, but also a key leader of men.