PHOENIX—On Monday afternoon at the famous Arizona Biltmore hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald made his way to the McArthur Ballroom for his car wash of media requests and sit-down interviews that included EPSN, the Up & Adams show, and Movin’ The Chains on SiriusXM.
Macdonald donned a navy-blue crewneck-style shirt, grey pants, a pair of P448 sneakers and a silver watch on his left wrist.
He entered a large, dimly lit, conference room for a sit-down interview, which would be a feature for ESPN. Macdonald began walking towards the set of the interview, but stopped and turned to Seahawks chief communications officer, Dave Pearson, to ask what exactly the interview would be about.
Pearson responded, “It’s a feature.”
“On who?” Macdonald asked.
“You.” Pearson responded, as the room full of camera operators, producers and public relations staff laughed at the interaction.
The interaction, while simple and seemingly mindless, demonstrated just how “normal” Macdonald has tried to treat everything, since winning Super Bowl LX on February 8, not thinking twice about the fact that the interview could be about himself rather than someone else. And while Macdonald has tried to keep everything as routine as possible, everyone around him has not.
Just two years ago, Macdonald was at his first NFL Annual Meetings as head coach of the Seahawks and taking questions about who would be the Seahawks quarterback that season.
Last season, the talk was all about receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Geno Smith.
This season, it’s all the the latest Super Bowl champion.
Macdonald said the sheer volume of media requests increased this year.
“It’s just more,” he said.
As he sat down in an oversized leather armchair, in a space with moody lighting, for his ESPN interview with Lindsey Thiry, it took Macdonald a few minutes to get settled in the chair, questioning whether to rest one arm on the armrest, clasp both hands in his lap, or put both arms on each armrest. He decided his left arm on the armrest was the most comfortable and natural.
“How’s your son?” Thiry asked as Macdonald was getting settled.
“He doesn’t love me yet, but he likes me,” Macdonald joked back.
At 1:05 p.m. Macdonald’s first interview began, and Macdonald was asked about his childhood, high school, and college days.
Macdonald shared that his sisters are his superheroes, that he and his dad would break down film of his 7th grade football games and that while in high school, on the drive to school, he would watch America’s Game on his phone rather than listen to music.
At 1:18 Thiry was given the nod to wrap the interview, and by 1:23 Macdonald was preparing to leave the ballroom.
To his surprise when he walked out of the ballroom, New York Giants head coach and a mentor to Macdonald, John Harbaugh, was waiting outside the room for his interview with ESPN. Macdonald and Harbaugh chatted for a few quick minutes before Harbaugh was whisked away.