Macdonald didn’t avoid the question when asked about what the OC has meant to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run.
“Obviously, that’s going on with Klint, and like we said before, with our coaches, you know, as they get these opportunities to take their career to the next level, you’re happy for them,” he said. “It’s a little bittersweet because he’s such a great person and a great coach, but we have a lot of great coaches, you know, and those people are gonna have opportunities as well. We want Seattle to be a place where people want to come — not just players play the best version of their football lives here, and the versions of them — we wanted the coaches, as well, be where people can come and flourish and have a chance to take their game to the next level. But look, we’re focused right now. Those are things that we’re gonna worry about after the game. And so, in terms of, like, building the coaching staff, all those things we’re gonna worry about, right now, that’s stuff that we’re going to worry about next week.”
Kubiak played no small part in Sam Darnold‘s rejuvenated career. The OC was the passing game coordinator when Darnold was Brock Purdy‘s backup in San Francisco in 2023. It was there that the QB’s rebirth started. It’s culminated in the duo getting to another Super Bowl together, this time as key players.
Darnold said it’s not just Kubiak’s scheme that’s helped his career, but the example the coach sets in the grind.
“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday night. “The things that I learned when I was with Klint in ’23 just schematically and then getting to learn from him as a coach, as well, and a person, just the grit. He wakes up at insane hours. He gets to the facility at 4, 4:30 in the morning, and he’s there later than anyone. He’s just a grinder. He loves football. And he’s very honest. He’s very forthcoming with his players that I think myself and a lot of the guys really appreciate about him.”