Why Mike Macdonald cut short practice. How Seahawks stay bigger than themselves
Even as Super Bowl champions, these Seahawks are bigger than themselves.
Mike Macdonald ensures that.
The 38-year-old coach changed the players’ minicamp schedule Wednesday. One day after he led the team through a 2 1/2-hour practice, Macdonald cut short the second minicamp practice, into an hour-long, indoor walk-through in T-shirts. Then he sent them out in groups in the afternoon to volunteer at Seattle-area organizations — places that were thrilled to be getting visits from the Seahawks.
“It’s hard to bring 150 people to one spot,” Macdonald said.
He, his assistant coaches and their players visited Seattle Children’s hospital. They went to the Ronald McDonald House, the residential facility in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Seattle where families of patients can stay for free while their children are getting treatment across the street from Seattle Children’s. The Seahawks also went to the Veterans’ Administration hospital in Seattle. They went to visit teens and others at the Family First Community Center, which former Seahawks Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Doug Baldwin started in Renton.
“We moved today’s practice to (Thursday) morning. So it will be fun to get out and visit some folks,” Macdonald said. “I’m proud of our guys for volunteering for it. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Within 90 minutes of the short practice ending Wednesday, linebacker Derick Hall, defensive lineman Rylie Mills, running back Emanuel Wilson, tight ends AJ Barner and Lance Mason plus other Seahawks were shooting hoops with the teenagers on the Family First Community Center’s basketball floor. It’s about a 15-minute drive from team headquarters.
Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Macdonald were among the Seahawks in patient rooms at Seattle Children’s hospital. Rookie Bud Clark in particular made a little girl in a tiger patient gown laugh.
Across the street, Cooper Kupp, Zach Charbonnet and Charles Cross were among the Seahawks at the Ronald McDonald House giving a reprieve to families worried about the condition of their kids at the hospital.
Why did the coach lead these visits this week, during the only three days of the offseason players are required by the NFL collective bargaining agreement to be at team headquarters for the mandatory minicamp?
Macdonald smiled.
It was to “guarantee they are here,” the coach said.
Their hosts eagerly anticipated the Seahawks’ arrival.
“We’re so excited!” Seattle Children’s posted on its social-media account, in response to The News Tribune’s post of the team’s visits.
In previous seasons and offseasons, Macdonald has led his Seahawks to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to visit U.S. Army Special Forces and other units. Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon has chatted with soldiers while atop their tank on a Seahawks visit to JBLM’s 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team in 2024.
Macdonald also has had special-operations and fellow elite units from other branches of the military as VIPs at team practices at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton.
This is the first time Macdonald sent his players into the community in a team-wide canvassing of Seattle-area organizations.
“We’re looking for ways for guys to be together,” the third-year Seahawks coach said. “We haven’t really done one of these. So I thought it was a great opportunity for us to get out there, go do our thing and serve our community. Guys are all about it.
“Should be a lot of fun.”
This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Why Mike Macdonald cut short practice. How Seahawks stay bigger than themselves."
