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Head coach Mike McDonald of the Seattle Seahawks
The dust has finally settled on the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl LX, with the NFL scouting combine getting underway this week in Indianapolis. Head coach Mike Macdonald and company are back at it, trying to figure out how to defend their title during the 2026 NFL season.
As usual with elite teams like the Seahawks coming off a successful season, players and coaches can get picked up by other teams, and that poaching has already begun, with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak accepting the job to be the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mike Macdonald Sends Message to Tom Brady
GettyHead coach Mike MacDonald of the Seattle Seahawks is hugged by offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak
During the NFL scouting combine, Macdonald sat down with Rich Eisen to talk about all things Seahawks and made an interesting admission about a text message conversation he had with the Raiders’ team owner, Tom Brady, after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl earlier this month, via Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.
#Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald says Tom Brady was among the people who texted him after beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
“I told him, ‘Thanks for stealing our offensive coordinator.’” 😂
(🎥 @ESPNNFL, @RichEisenShow)
“Tom Brady texted me, that was cool,” Macdonald said. “Peyton Manning.”
Macdonald said he got hundreds of text messages after beating the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, which is to be expected. However, the conversation with Brady got a little comical because of the Raiders swooping in and hiring Kubiak to be Pete Carroll’s replacement in Las Vegas.
“I did tell him, ‘Thanks for stealing our OC,” Macdonald said.
After an impressive 2025 campaign, Kubiak became one of the most sought-after coaching prospects in the NFL, along with big-name candidates like Kevin Stefanski, who landed with the Atlanta Falcons, and former Baltimore Ravens leader on the sideline, John Harbaugh, who took the job with the New York Giants.
The Seahawks have replaced Kubiak with Brian Fleury, formerly the tight ends coach and run game coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Wants to Be NFL’s Highest-Paid WR
GettyJaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks
Along with having to replace Kubiak and address the contract situation with Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks’ brass received a stern message from superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba about his contract demands.
“I’m not really too pressed right now to get it done,” Smith-Njigba said of a contract extension. “I know my time is coming, and when we get it done, it’s going to be a great deal. God’s timing is perfect timing. So whenever that may come, we’ll be ready for it.
“I think I deserve to be the highest paid in my position, and what I give to the game and my community. I give it my all, and I think that’s worth a lot more. I would play this game for free. I love this game so much, but you don’t have to, and I’m learning to be a good businessman and we need that check at the end of the day.”
With Smith-Njigba coming off a remarkable 2025 campaign and changing the conversation about who is the best wide receiver in the game today, the Seahawks star is deserving of the opportunity to reset the market at his position with a new deal.
Ryan Ward is a longtime credentialed writer covering the NBA and NFL. He has over 15 years of experience in the sports industry from writing, editing, social media management and podcasting. He has covered the Lakers and Raiders for Medium Large Sports, with a previous stint at ClutchPoints. Ward is a Los Angeles native from the United Kingdom, who now resides in Colorado.
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