Head Coach Mike Macdonald Previews The Upcoming Week 7 Matchup vs. Chiefs

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald opens by addressing how the defense approaches screen plays as a collective team effort (00:33) and how offenses operating under center impact run game principles alongside a reference to Running Back Zach Charbonnet's recovery timetable (03:25). Looking at Seattle's offense, Head Coach Mike Macdonald explains the balance of staying within their wide-zone wheelhouse while mixing in other run concepts (05:53), and notes that the offensive line and team have shown strong effort and attitude with room to grow in decisiveness (06:48). He also discusses his coaching philosophy for helping players improve through open communication (07:46) before confirming that Linebacker Drake Thomas will not practice today (08:35). On the defensive side, Head Coach Mike Macdonald emphasizes that stopping the run requires team-wide fundamentals like block destruction, tackling, and proper leverage (08:48), while noting that the defensive line sets the tone up front (12:36) and split-safety structures provide extra layers of defensive overlap (13:32). Finally, he stresses that starting fast offensively is a product of decisiveness and assignment alignment (09:53), and confirms that utilizing two-back personnel with Fullback Brady Russell remains on the table even with Fullback Robbie Ouzts unavailable (10:33).

Seahawks safety Julian Love discusses the upcoming defensive challenges for the Seattle Seahawks, emphasizing that an all-hands-on-deck effort is required to contain explosive opposing playmakers (00:11). To improve against the screen game and the run, safety Julian Love explains that the defense must attack blockers and leverage while defensive backs and linebackers close space and fly to the ball on both early and obvious passing downs (00:45, 01:19, 02:05). Safety Julian Love praises the physical dominance of the Seahawks' defensive interior—specifically defensive tackle Leonard Williams, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, and nose tackle Jarran Reed—for setting the tone up front so the secondary does not have to overcommit to the box (04:40). Finally, safety Julian Love notes that the team respects former teammates who previously shared the backfield with running back Zach Charbonnet, while remaining eager to play clean, complementary football by fixing details on third-and-long and in the red zone (03:05, 08:01, 08:42, 09:35).

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp discusses how the team used its extra days for self-scouting to identify areas for improvement, noting at (00:42) that better offensive execution comes down to mastering simple details, staying consistent, and eliminating penalties. (01:35) Addressing the transition with offensive coordinator Brian Fleury and comments from head coach Mike Macdonald on team alignment, Kupp explains at (02:13) that great teams separate themselves by collaborating closely and aligning on the finest details of every play. (03:25) Regarding offensive continuity, Kupp emphasizes the importance of getting everyone on the same page with small scheme nuances and playing "12 as one" football, adding at (04:16) that the team must eliminate big negative plays to make its flashes of strong play across offense, defense, and special teams more consistent. (04:48) Kupp also praises quarterback (QB) Sam Darnold for his preparation and steady demeanor, highlighting at (05:31) Darnold's proven ability to persevere through adversity, before concluding with notes on weekend conversations with head coach Mike Macdonald (06:28), dictating offensive tempo (07:39), and focusing solely on winning this week's game (08:20).

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald spoke at a press conference after the team's first day back from the break. He said the team is now "more aligned" after honest conversations with QB Sam Darnold, Offensive Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks Jake Peetz, Offensive Coordinator Brian Fleury and WR Cooper Kupp (0:32, 0:55). He also talked about getting back to a Seahawk football identity, doing better at choosing and executing plays, and several injury and roster updates.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald met with media to address the team's offensive struggles, voicing strong faith in quarterback Sam Darnold and framing the turnovers as a team-wide problem the coaching staff can help solve. He outlined plans with offensive coordinator Brian Fleury to re-establish the run game, play to Darnold's strengths outside the pocket, and avoid obvious passing downs, while also praising his defensive staff's in-game adjustments. Macdonald provided injury and lineup updates, rejected singling out any one player or unit, and described a sense of urgency and honest self-evaluation heading into the weekend.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold met with the media following the Seahawks' loss to Denver and took full ownership of the defeat, saying there was "no way to sugarcoat it" and that the offense can't turn the ball over (0:01). He broke down both of his interceptions, credited Denver's pass rush, and said the turnovers weren't fair to a defense and special teams unit that are playing well. At 3-3, Darnold said "there's a lot of football left" and that he has to be better, including getting the ball out faster to cut down on sacks.

Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams spoke after another narrow Seahawks loss, saying the team put itself in position to win and simply has to finish (0:04, 0:23). He addressed the frustration of three losses by a combined eight points, the defense's second-half turnaround, and where Seattle stands at 3-3 (0:55, 1:23, 1:52). Williams also discussed his leadership role and his long-standing relationship with quarterback Sam Darnold, expressing full confidence that Darnold will get out of his current stretch (1:52, 2:45).

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald addressed the media following Seattle's loss to the Denver Broncos, crediting Denver's complete three-phase performance while expressing pride in his team's effort and resolve. He pinpointed ball security, a missing run game and too many hits on the quarterback as the top issues to fix, and addressed Sam Darnold's overtime interception directly. Macdonald also provided an injury update on tight end Elijah Arroyo and said the extra days before the team returns Monday will be valuable for finding solutions in the film and analytics.

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp defended quarterback Sam Darnold and said the entire offense shares responsibility for the turnovers and self-inflicted mistakes. Kupp said he'd need to review the tape on the final play, praised the locker room's preparation and attitude, and stressed that the team must chase the "razor-thin margins" to close out tight games. He also credited Darnold's second-half play, Jaxon Smith-Njigba's big plays, and offensive coordinator Brian Fleury's tempo calls.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald met with the media as the Seahawks wrapped a condensed three-day week before flying out for their next game. He emphasized "doubling down" on how the team handles adversity — attacking problems, finding solutions and having each other's backs — and called it a key lesson for younger players learning from losses. He also delivered availability updates on several players and previewed the opposing quarterback and newly added receiver.

Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury met with media to detail how the staff plans to help quarterback Sam Darnold play faster and more decisively during a short week. He broke down the offense's third-down struggles, the run game's inconsistency, recent ball-security issues and the shift away from seven-plus-man protections. Fleury emphasized leaning on familiar concepts, all-11 accountability in protecting the football, and matchup-driven protection calls, closing with a focus on process and weekly improvement.

Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde met with the media to review Sunday's performance and look ahead to the Broncos. He detailed the work being done to fix red-zone breakdowns, explained how the staff evaluates an opposing receiver's heavy target volume, and credited the growth of Byron Murphy II and the defensive line and secondary around him. Durde also praised Ernest Jones IV's leadership, the development of Nehemiah Pritchett and Josh Jobe, and contributions from Ty Okada, Trevon Diggs and Tyrice Knight.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold met with the media during the Seahawks' short turnaround ahead of a Thursday night home game against Denver. He addressed being more decisive and getting the ball out faster, the urgency around protecting the football, and the challenge posed by Denver's defense. Darnold also discussed his short-term memory and perspective, and said Offensive Coordinator Brian Fleury's demeanor and message have not changed as the offense turns the page.

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp met with the media to address a loss the Seahawks offense felt it should have won and the short-week turnaround ahead in Denver. He focused on turnovers and self-inflicted mistakes, the offense's next step under offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, and getting the ball out of quarterback Sam Darnold's hands faster. Kupp also praised the self-critical culture in the quarterback and wide receiver rooms and described the mental-fortitude test of playing at Mile High on a Thursday.

Seahawks safety Julian Love met with media ahead of Seattle's short-week Thursday night road game in Denver, addressing recovery plans, altitude, and the defense's red zone struggles. He framed the locker room as hungry rather than discouraged after Sunday's loss, saying the gap between a good team and a great team is eliminating self-inflicted, one-off mistakes. Love also discussed preparing for Denver's recent play-caller change and praised safety Ty Okada's season debut.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald met with the media as the Seahawks began a short week of preparation for a Thursday night road game against the Broncos in Denver. He addressed the status of running back Zach Charbonnet, the offense's inconsistency and the urgency to get it going, the standards behind playing decisive, relentless and shocking football, and how the defense balances coverage priorities across its personnel. He also previewed the altitude and short-week adjustments, Elijah Arroyo's growing role, and shared a reflection on Mike Ditka's passing through Assistant Head Coach Leslie Frazier's memories.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold met with the media and took ownership of the turnovers and missed opportunities that stalled Seattle's offense. He detailed the decisions he'd like back — including the throw intended for tight end Elijah Arroyo — credited the opposing defense's rush and coverage, and praised teammates for having his back. With a short week and a tough road game ahead, Darnold said the group's focus is translating practice to Sundays with urgency and being ready Thursday.

Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba met with the media following a Seahawks loss he said the offense let slip away. He took personal accountability for the late-game incompletion that could have won the game, described a locker room that was "pissed," and said the offense let down a defense and special teams group that deserved better. He pointed to turnovers and slow starts as the recurring issues, while expressing confidence in a tight-knit team that is in year two of the system and still improving.

Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp met with the media to break down the offense's struggles, addressing the overturned fourth-down spot, the turnovers and the negative plays that repeatedly put the unit behind schedule. He voiced unwavering belief in quarterback Sam Darnold, described the frustration of letting down a defense that was playing well, and rejected any suggestion of finger-pointing in the locker room. Kupp said the group's practice energy has been right and welcomed the quick turnaround to a Thursday game as a chance to clean up ball security and avoid repeating mistakes.

Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV met with the media to discuss the team's response to a tough loss that dropped them to 3-2. He pointed to red-zone execution and defensive stops as the difference, saying only "little things" separate Seattle from the 5-0 team it just faced. Jones also addressed showing restraint after a hit on his quarterback, praised cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett's playmaking, and shared the encouragement he gave cornerback Josh Jobe ahead of a short week leading into Thursday night.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald met with the media following the Seahawks' loss to San Francisco, opening with injury updates before stressing that his team plays hard and stays connected but isn't yet playing the complementary, ball-secure football it wants. He backed quarterback Sam Darnold, defended his aggressive approach before halftime and his decision to stick with running back George Holani despite fumbles, and praised defensive performances from Byron Murphy II, Ty Okada and Nehemiah Pritchett. Macdonald closed by describing a tough, capable locker room with a long list of fixes and only four days until the next game.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald met with the media to deliver injury updates and practice takeaways ahead of Sunday's game. He listed wide receiver Irv Charles as questionable, confirmed defensive tackle Leonard Williams will play, and gave positive progress reports on Anthony Bradford, Zach Charbonnet and Ty Okada. Macdonald also praised new running back Robert Henry Jr.'s first week, Rodney Thomas II's fill-in work at safety, and his veterans for calling their own players-only meeting on Monday.

Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Brian Fleury met with the media to discuss preparing for a defense he once worked with, expanding Rashid Shaheed's role in the backfield, and the ongoing right guard rotation. He detailed how spring and training camp groundwork allowed Seattle to call backfield plays for Shaheed with confidence, praised Emanuel Wilson's decisiveness getting downhill, and welcomed Zach Charbonnet back to the practice field. Fleury also credited longtime colleague John Benton and Thomas Hammock for the offense's continuity and run-game detail, while framing the matchup against former co-workers as "just another opponent."

Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde met with the media ahead of Seattle's matchup with San Francisco, breaking down how the defense plans to handle a quarterback who processes pre-snap and throws on time. He addressed lessons from the two meetings last January, the second-half breakdown and penalties against the Chargers, and the 49ers' added receiving and backfield weapons. Durde also highlighted the early-season development of defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and cornerback Trevon Diggs' solid work in his snaps on Sunday.

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold met with the media as the Seahawks prepared for a "really good" 49ers team ahead of Sunday's matchup. He broke down why San Francisco leads the league in limiting explosive plays, explained his approach of staying on schedule rather than hunting big plays, and discussed his collaboration with Offensive Coordinator Brian Fleury on the game plan. Darnold also praised teammates Emanuel Wilson, Rashid Shaheed, Zach Charbonnet and Nick Emmanwori, credited Head Coach Mike Macdonald's situational practice work for Seattle's late-game comebacks, and said he must do a better job protecting the football.