Seattle Seahawks Mike Macdonald’s successor in his previous job is joining the Super Bowl champions.
The Seahawks hired former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zachary Orr on Feb. 13 to coach inside linebackers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Orr served as the Ravens’ defense coordinator right after Macdonald held the job from 2022 to 2023 before he took the Seahawks head coaching job in 2024.
Orr didn’t follow former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to the New York Giants after being fired in January, but Orr had been a candidate for multiple teams as a defensive coordinator. Orr confirmed his departure Feb. 13 with a social media message that included Philippians 3:13–14 at the end.
ESPN reported that current Seahawks inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti is still with the team. Olivadotti joined the Seahawks in 2024.
The Seahawks also hired former Ravens director of football strategy/assistant quarterback coach Daniel Stern, Schefter reported. Stern’s role hasn’t been determined, but it’s expected to help the Seahawks improve the passing game with Sam Darnold at quarterback.
Orr’s hire means the Seahawks are aligning the defense even more with Macdonald’s vision. When Macdonald served as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Orr worked under him as the inside linebackers coach, and the promotion arrived in 2024 when Macdonald left.
They also served together on the Ravens staff between 2017 and 2020. Orr played under Macdonald in Baltimore, too, between 2014 and 2016.
Macdonald interned as a defensive assistant coach at the time. He had high praise for Orr when the longtime colleague took over as defensive coordinator in Baltimore.
“I love Zach Orr,” Macdonald told 105.7 The Fan’s Inside Access in 2024. “He’s going to knock it out of the park. He is a future head coach in this league, so enjoy him while you have him. But the guys are going to play with their hair on fire, and they’re going to play together, I know that. Zach understands what it looks like in Baltimore, and he connects with the players better than anyone I’ve ever been around.”
Stern likewise overlapped with Macdonald in Baltimore. In 10 seasons, Stern helped the Ravens develop the passing attack, which included two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson for eight of those seasons.
Baltimore, meanwhile, hired defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver earlier this week amid Orr’s search for another job. Weaver previously worked with the Miami Dolphins and as the defensive coordinator, and he once coached with the Ravens between 2021 and 2023 in multiple roles. Overall, the Ravens have vastly overhauled the coaching staff amid Jesse Minter’s hiring as the head coach.
Bringing in Orr also gives the Seahawks a contingency plan for defensive coordinator down the road if current Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde moves up the coaching ranks and lands a head coaching job somewhere. Durde interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns for head coaching jobs this year.
The Seahawks already lost their offensive coordinator with the departure of Klint Kubiak to the Las Vegas Raiders as the head coach. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Seahawks are looking within the organization for Kubiak’s replacement. In-house interviewees included Andrew Janocko, Mack Brown, Jake Peetz, and Justin Outten.
Brown joined the Seahawks in 2024 as the tight ends head coach after five years with the New York Jets. Janocko, the quarterbacks coach, joined the team in 2025 after a year with the New Orleans Saints. Outten served as the run game specialist/assistant offensive line coach last season. Petez, the offensive passing game coordinator, has been with the Seahawks since 2024 after two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
