The Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks are set to clash on Sunday Night Football, with both second-year head coaches eager to make a significant impact. However, if circumstances had been slightly different, neither would be in their current positions.
Both the Commanders and Seahawks were among the eight teams that had vacancies for the head coach position after the Seahawks parted ways with Pete Carroll following a 14-year tenure. The Seahawks eventually secured Mike Macdonald, hailing from the Baltimore Ravens, recognized as one of the game’s most brilliant defensive minds.
On the other hand, the Commanders appointed former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn to steer their revamped franchise with Jayden Daniels as quarterback.
These two teams were the last to finalize their appointments, having pursued Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson – with the Commanders presenting him with an attractive offer. Surprisingly, Johnson chose to remain with the Lions, rejecting both Washington and Seattle’s offers.
However, looking back, both teams must be thrilled with how the past year has played out.
The Commanders emerged as the surprise package of the 2024 season, making it all the way to the NFC Championship game where they were ultimately defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles.
They appear to have discovered their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, who clinched the Rookie of the Year award while performing at an elite level.
The Seahawks, initially seen as one of the weakest teams in the league for the 2024 season, Macdonald’s first as a head coach, defied expectations by winning 10 games, narrowly missing out on the NFC West title.
Despite trading away both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf this offseason, Seattle has proven critics wrong. In an effort to become younger and more cost-effective, they took a gamble on Sam Darnold, who is currently playing at an MVP level and leading the Seahawks to one of the best records in the league at 5-2.
Both Macdonald and Quinn have exceeded expectations, with their respective teams aiming to be serious contenders this season. On the other hand, Johnson’s Bears appear to still have some ground to cover to join that discussion.
Johnson earns significantly more than Macdonald and Quinn, having joined the Bears as a first-time head coach after the 2024 season.
Top 15 NFL head coach salaries (per year)
1) Andy Reid – $20m (Kansas City Chiefs)
2) Sean Payton – $18m (Denver Broncos)
T-3) Mike Tomlin – $16m (Pittsburgh Steelers)
T-3) Jim Harbaugh – $16m (Los Angeles Chargers)
5) Sean McVay – $16m (Los Angeles Rams)
6) Kyle Shanahan – $15m (San Francisco 49ers)
T-7) Ben Johnson – $13m (Chicago Bears)
T-7) Kevin O’Connell – $13m (Minnesota Vikings)
9) John Harbaugh – $12m (Baltimore Ravens)
10) Liam Coen – $12m (Jacksonville Jaguars)
T-11) Dan Campbell – $11m (Detroit Lions)
T-11) Sean McDermott – $11m (Buffalo Bills)
13) Mike Macdonald – $9m (Seattle Seahawks)
14) Dan Quinn – $8.5m (Washington Commanders)
15) Demeco Ryans – $8m (Houston Texans)
