– The Atlanta Falcons announced on Friday that they have concluded a virtual interview with Mike Macdonald for the role of head coach.
This is the first completed interview in Atlanta’s search for a replacement for Arthur Smith, who was fired on January 8.
Over the last three seasons, the 36-year-old defensive coordinator has called plays for the University of Michigan and the Baltimore Ravens. During this hiring cycle, Macdonald has become a household name.
Interviews with personnel from other clubs are required by NFL protocol to be performed virtually before to the completion of Divisional Playoff games on Sunday, Jan. 21.
Virtual interviews must be done prior to the completion of Wild Card games if the employer club has a Wild Card bye. Virtual interviews may begin three days after the employer club’s Wild Card game and must be completed prior to the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games if the employer club is a Wild Card participant.
Beginning Monday, Jan. 22, clubs may conduct in-person or virtual interviews with candidates employed by other NFL clubs whose seasons have ended, but they are not permitted to conduct initial interviews with candidates employed by clubs participating in the Conference Championship Games until the employer club’s season has ended.
Let’s discover more about the candidate the Falcons are evaluating for the position of 19th head coach in franchise history.
The interview will take place on Friday, January 12th.
Current position: Defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens
Highlights from my resume:
Baltimore Ravens, 2014-20: As an intern, Macdonald got his first NFL job. He was elevated to defensive assistant after a year in the position. Macdonald was the Ravens’ defensive backs coach in 2017, before moving on to coach the linebackers for the next three seasons.
Macdonald returned to the college ranks in 2021 as the defensive coordinator at Michigan.
Baltimore Ravens, 2022-present (second stint): He rejoined the Ravens as defensive coordinator, a position he has held since.
Macdonald attended Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia, and the University of Georgia. Macdonald coached high school football at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens while still in college at Georgia. After graduation, he worked as the Bulldogs’ safeties coach and defensive quality control assistant before joining the Ravens in 2014.
Why he’s a candidate: Macdonald is a key member of a Ravens team that is the AFC’s top seed heading into the playoffs. During a 13-4 regular season in 2023, his Ravens defense led the league in scoring, takeaways, and total yards allowed. The Ravens defense was likewise ranked in the top ten in all of those categories the year before, demonstrating that Macdonald knows how to lead a defense.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Macdonald is in high demand, with the Falcons among five clubs asking interviews with him as part of their head-coaching search.
The Falcons are seeking for someone to take a good roster and push it over the top, into real and consistent contention for division crowns and postseason wins. Macdonald has been a member of a winning organization that excels at accomplishing just that.
On Thursday, Macdonald stated that he has learned a lot from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and the culture he helped develop in Baltimore, and that he would apply those lessons to any role he accepted with another franchise. That would be a plus for a Falcons team looking to begin a run of continuous success.
“The person that he (Harbaugh) is, and the leader that he is, you just have great role models that you look up to and that are high integrity (and) high character individuals and just phenomenal leaders,” Macdonald said on the team’s website. “So they’re easy to follow.” If and when that occasion arises, you certainly want to emulate their actions.”
Strikes against: Macdonald is 36 years old and has only three years of experience as a coordinator. This could work against him, although appointing younger head coaches has been increasingly popular in recent seasons.
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