Are you paying close attention? While things could conceivably go either way for second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, do not tell that to his Seattle Seahawks players. Gregg Bell made a very keen observation about the Pacific Northwest's lone NFL team during OTAs. Every player showed up to voluntary OTAs. Every single one of them. This is a far cry from how things used to be for this franchise.
While perfect attendance does not guarantee team success, it does send a strong message to anyone who notices it. Showing up is half of the battle. In a day and age where it is more understandable than ever to take a sick day, personal leave or PTO, everybody showing up to Seahawks OTAs tells me one thing: This team is totally locked in. They are buying into Macdonald.
Though he is a little bit older than I am, Macdonald and I are from the same neck of the woods. We share the same alma mater at the University of Georgia. While I did not do the best job of showing up to class at UGA, his ability to show up as a graduate assistant under Mark Richt has afforded him the opportunity to be one of 32 NFL head coaches before his 40th birthday. He made every day count.
I may have been down on Seattle entering this NFL offseason, but perfect attendance does resonate.
Why Seattle Seahawks showing up for Mike Macdonald is such a huge deal
In Bell's post for The News Tribune, he discussed the rampant truancy commonplace with former Pete Carroll era Seahawks stars such as defensive linemen Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin. He also mentioned that superstar running back Marshawn Lynch would often miss them, mostly because he could not get fined for skipping voluntary OTAs. Voluntary or not, Macdonald has total buy-in already.
From an outsider's perspective, Macdonald looks like just a guy, unassuming. What people tend to forget when it comes to coaching is that they are teachers. It is all about connecting with your players and pupils. My favorite teachers, coaches and bosses found ways to connect with everyone to get us all on the same page, working together. Never once did they make it about themselves.
The other key takeaway I have from this is it is abundantly clear that Macdonald is also in lock-step with long-time general manager John Schneider. Good luck predicting what the Seahawks are going to do in a given NFL Draft or NFL free agency period. Seattle players are different because they fit the team's overall ethos. They have a great sense of who they are and it continues to work out for them.
Of course, the looming narrative surrounding the state of the team's ownership is less than ideal.