Commander Country

Seahawks Hire Mike Macdonald; What's Next for Commanders?

The Washington Commanders are the only team without a head coach in the NFL.

Jeremy Brener

Seahawks Hire Mike Macdonald; What's Next for Commanders?
Seahawks Hire Mike Macdonald; What's Next for Commanders? /
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The Washington Commanders are on an island as the only team without a head coach after the Seattle Seahawks hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

The Commanders were eyeing an offensive-minded coach like Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik, but then they chose to remain with their current teams. Macdonald was Washington's next top choice, but with him flocking to Seattle, it puts the Commanders behind the 8-ball, forcing them to take someone that wasn't in their top group of candidates.

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at FedExField.
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at FedExField / Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Commanders still have a strong group of candidates that they have interviewed. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver all interviewed with the team this week ... and any of them could get the job. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was also interviewed as an in-house candidate.

There's a chance the team could look outside of that group for its next coach. Perhaps established coaches like Mike Vrabel or Bill Belichick could make sense, but they would need to interview with the team for a first time before any real interest can be gauged.

Slowik Spurns Commanders, Returns to Texans

Ultimately, the Commanders took a risk by waiting out for coaches who went deep in the playoffs. The risk failed and now they have to go back to the drawing board in hopes that they get someone they want.

That being said, as the only team left without a coach, the Commanders can choose to take as much time as they want in hiring their next guy.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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