When Jim Harbaugh became the head coach at Michigan and needed to build a coaching staff, he found his defensive coordinator by hiring one of the top young assistant coaches on his brother, John Harbaugh's, Baltimore Ravens staff.
And with that, Mike Macdonald went from linebackers coach to first-time defensive coordinator at 33 years old. A year later, John Harbaugh brought Macdonald back to the NFL ranks to be the Ravens' defensive coordinator, and just two years after that, Macdonald became the league's youngest head coach when the Seahawks hired him. But despite only spending one year in the college ranks with Michigan, Macdonald's time with Jim Harbaugh made a big impression on him and helped shape how the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks coach runs his team.
On Sunday, with the Seahawks hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field, Macdonald will get to coach against Jim Harbaugh, now L.A.'s head coach, for the first time, and he'll do so with a ton of respect for what both Harbaugh brothers have meant to his career -- Macdonald will also get to coach against John Harbaugh, now the Giants' head coach, later this season.
Making the coaching matchup even more unique is the fact that Macdonald, when building his coaching staff in 2024, hired Jay Harbaugh, Jim's son, as his special teams coordinator.
"I'm excited for Jay," Macdonald said. "I imagine it's a different feeling for him, but pretty special. How often does a father/son get to coach against each other in an NFL game? Just talking to Jay, he's trying to keep it as consistent as possible. We have a lot of respect for Jim. I talked about it the other day, but a lot of our principles are built off of his principles about how he built his football teams. There are a lot of folks on his staff that we've worked with that we have great relationships as well, so a lot of respect for how they do business."
Despite spending most of his coaching career working under John Harbaugh, Macdonald called his year working with Jim at Michigan "a foundational year for me" because of the responsibility Jim Harbaugh gave his young defensive coordinator.
"The whole Harbaugh family, I feel like I'm indebted to. I had the honor to work for both Jim and John," Macdonald said. "One year with Jim. He gave me so much autonomy and the belief that he had in our staff on defense, me personally as well, felt like he never left your corner. That meant a lot for a guy that was unproven and trying to figure things out on the fly. That was a foundational year for me, understanding the power of where '12 as One' started to come from. The power of everybody doing it together, all going in the same direction. The passion he had for his players. We had a blast that year in Ann Arbor. Proud to say that I worked for him and proud of the year that we had. We had a great team and that was a lot of foundational stuff on what type of vision we want for our football team here."
For Jay Harbaugh, this will be the first time coaching against his dad -- they worked together at Michigan for nine seasons while Jim was the head coach there -- since he was a quality control coach on John Harbaugh's staff during Super Bowl XLVII, also known as the "Har-Bowl," in which John Harbaugh's Ravens beat Jim Harbaugh's 49ers.
"It's a normal week," Jim Harbaugh said of facing his dad's team on Sunday. "You're worried about all the same stuff, and there's moments where you see your dad on the other side of the field. It's weird but you're consumed with the game plan and the processes you go through and the practice and the meetings and all that stuff. The moments where you think about it are a little weird and then you take a step back and realize how big it is and what a privilege it is. It is pretty special, and then you shrink back to, 'OK, what was I doing before I started thinking about that.'"
Most conversations between Jim and Jay Harbaugh often end up being about football, as one might expect between coaches, but Jay noted that recently, he and his father have stayed away from that topic.
"It's different," Jay said. "We talk every week. It's one of those things where we talk about a lot of things, but football is one of the things we gravitate towards in our family in general talking about. It's been a bit different as of late just because both of us are competitive and everything. No one wants to spill any secrets or anything like that. The content of the conversations are a little bit different."
In Los Angeles, Jim Harbaugh is looking to get the Chargers back on track after an 0-3 start, but knows he has a tough task in front of him when he coaches against his former defensive coordinator.
"Tremendous team in all phases," Harbaugh told reporters in Los Angeles on Wednesday. "Really well coached. Defensively, the way they run to the ball stands out the most, the way they tackle, really, really good. Just good in so many areas."
Asked about Macdonald, Harbaugh added, "Mike is a winner. Everywhere he goes, everything he's a part of, he elevates it. Tremendous football coach, and person. Great guy and a great coach. He's a winner all the way.
"Everything is connected. With the coverages, the linebackers -- you can see how connected the front is to the backers and the backers to the secondary. And they play with a tremendous edge as well. It's impressive, it's a formidable task. Super Bowl champions, they deserve all of our focus and attention."
Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Chargers.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn (10) prepares to hand off against the San Diego Chargers on December 13, 1980 at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Terry Beeson (58) blocks a field goal during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 2, 1979. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Brian Peets (88) tries to break away from San Diego Chargers cornerback Willie Buchanon (28) during an NFL game in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 2, 1979. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks running back Curt Warner (28) runs upfield during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium on September 15, 1985. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 49-35. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
Seattle Seahawks Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent (80) beats San Diego Chargers defensive back Daniel Hunter (27) for a 23-yard scoring reception during an NFL game in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 14, 1986. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 34-24. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) is double-teamed by San Diego Charger defenders Martin Bayless (44) and Danny Walters (23) during first quarter action in the Kingdome in Seattle, Nov. 22, 1987. Largent gained 29 yards on the pass play. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Seattle Seahawks Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent (80) tries to elude San Diego Chargers defensive back Daniel Hunter (27) during an NFL game in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 14, 1986. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 34-24. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bob Spitulski (58) is seen in action during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers Oct. 30, 1994, in San Diego, Calif. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks nose tackle Cortez Kennedy (96) leaves the field after play with San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau (55) in San Diego in 1994. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
San Diego Chargers running back Rodney Culver (22) is tackled as he attempts to rush upfield with the ball during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Sept. 10, 1995, in San Diego, Calif. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks running back Steve Broussard runs for yardage against the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game on November 9, 1997 in San Diego, California. The Seahawks won 37-31. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback John Friesz throws a pass against the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game on October 25, 1998 in San Diego. The Seahawks won 27-20. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy (96) is seen in action during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers Sept. 10, 1995, in San Diego, Calif. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks running back Steve Broussard (31) is seen in action during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers Oct. 25, 1998, in San Diego. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks' Derrick Mayes (87) gets a big hug by teammate Sean Dawkins (81) after catching a 14-yard pass from Jon Kitna against the San Diego Chargers for a score in the third quarter in Seattle, Sunday, Dec. 12, 1999. San Diego won the game 19-16. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Darrell Jackson runs with a reception during a NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego on December 30, 2001. Seattle won, 25-22. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
29 DEC 2002: Seattle Seahawks Shaun Alexander during a game against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday December 29, 2002, in San Diego , CA. (Photo by Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
San Diego Chargers receiver Malcom Floyd battles Seattle Seahawks defender Ken Hamlin for a pass in the end zone during first quarter of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander (37) runs as San Diego Chargers' Terrence Kiel moves in on a first quarter run in a football game Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander, left, and San Diego Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson talk after the 20-17 win for the Chargers in a football game in Seattle, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander runs in untouched past San Diego Chargers' Marlon McCree on a 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
A fourth round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, rookie tight end Scott Chandler #87 of the San Diego Chargers blocks strong safety Michael Boulware #28 of the Seattle Seahawks during the NFL preseason game on August 12, 2007 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 24-16. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
San Diego Chargers wide receiver Charly Martin (13) goes out for a pass during an NFL preseason football game Seattle Seahawks while covered by cornerback Marquis Floyd (29), Saturday, August 15, 2009 in San Diego. The Seahawks won the game 20-14. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Seattle Seahawks running back Julius Jones (22) breaks away from the tackle of San Diego Chargers' Matt Wilhelm, right, during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game Monday, Aug. 25, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
SAN DIEGO - AUGUST 25: Cornerback Marcus Trufant #23 of the Seattle Seahawks breaks up a pass intended for leaping wide receiver Chris Chambers #89 of the San Diego Chargers during the game at Qualcomm Stadium on August 25, 2008 in San Diego, California. The Chargers defeated the Seahawks 18-17. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Seattle Seahawks running back Robert Turbin (32) leaps over San Diego Chargers cornerback Richard Crawford (35) during the second half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) hauls in a touchdown pass as Seattle Seahawks defensive back Shaquill Griffin (26) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Seattle Seahawks center Ethan Pocic #79 during an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017 in Carson, Calif. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cyril Grayson (13) catches the ball as Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Randall Evans (41) defends during the second half of an NFL preseason football game Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Receiver Tyler Lockett signals "first down" after a clutch third down grab to help extend a long drive in the third quarter.
Seattle's Myles Adams pressures Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
