> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Mike Macdonald, Seahawks Excited For Challenge Facing Kyle Shanahan-Led 49ers in 2025 Opener - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/mike-macdonald-seattle-seahawks-excited-challenge-san-francisco-49ers-2025-opener/ - Published: 2025-09-05T05:19:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:58:25.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: News, Seahawks, Mike Macdonald, Kyle Shanahan RENTON, Wash. - Being classified as a “nerd” by several of his players since taking over as coach of the Seattle Seahawks, while he isn’t in the business of giving away state secrets and understands the art of gamesmanship behind the podium, Mike Macdonald relishes the opportunity to dive into Xs and Os any chance he can. Set to begin his second season at the helm with an NFC rivalry match against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, citing similarities in new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as well as Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay’s own variations of the system, it shouldn’t come as a surprise Macdonald excitedly dug deep expressing both his admiration for offensive guru Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and the clear challenges it creates along with the stress it places on opposing defenses. “The principles of it, letting the offensive line be aggressive, giving the quarterback quick answers where he can play decisively. The condensed splits, the motions, that's evolved over time. That's the NFL nowadays,” Macdonald said when asked about the challenges of planning for and playing against Shanahan’s system. “The interesting thing is how these guys have put their fingerprints, their identity on their respective offenses, which is cool and it's through a lens or function of the people that are on their team, the personnel. You think about the Rams, you have more of an 11 team. You think San Francisco, you're thinking more 21\. You're thinking us, probably a little bit more multiple personnels, how they deploy those people is interesting. Those things are common threads.” As Macdonald noted, the Shanahan scheme, which originated under Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak in the late 90s and 2000s, has proliferated across the NFL over the years with different coaches leaving their own imprint. In Los Angeles, McVay prefers one-back personnel groupings with more receivers on the field, while Shanahan has followed his father’s footsteps implementing a more old-school approach utilizing a fullback with high frequency. In the case of Kubiak, who will get to face off against his former mentor who he worked under in San Francisco back in 2023, he too has his own adaptation of the offense with heavy West coast roots. Like Shanahan, as evidenced by the arrival of fifth-round pick Robbie Ouzts in April’s NFL draft, he has a history of using fullbacks, as the Saints ranked in the top five in 21 and 22 personnel groupings with multiple backs on the field last season. But in contrast to the other two coaches, he loves multi-tight end sets, including playing three at a time at the fourth-highest rate (8.3 percent) in the NFL in 2024. Even considering those personnel usage differences, the system carries core principles with a heavy emphasis on the zone running game, condensed formations that create numerous issues such as extra hats to account for in the box, and pre-snap motion aimed at adding a new gap for the defense to have to adjust to. According to Macdonald, nobody coming from the NFL’s most widespread coaching tree does a better job of adhering to those tenets while uniquely employing personnel than Shanahan, who has mastered the art of evolving and adjusting his scheme to all types of skill sets. “He does a great job of keeping you off-balance,” Macdonald explained. “They deploy their people different than any other team. That's something that’s a focal point of how you focus on them. People don't do conventional things out of their respective formations. \[Christian\] McCaffrey's great. \[Kyle\] Juszczyk. When they had Deebo \[Samuel\]. Great examples of how they use their people in unorthodox manners. He does a great job. The stats prove it. The tape proves it, it’s a disciplined club, they play tough, they play physical. They do a lot of great stuff.” In the past, much as his father did with the Broncos, Shanahan has orchestrated top-10 rushing attacks around journeymen such as Raheem Mostert and Matt Brieda as well as All-Pro talents such as Christian McCaffrey, illustrating the consistent effectiveness of the scheme no matter who totes the rock out of the backfield. On the outside, former starter Deebo Samuel thrived as the ultimate gadget player, breaking tackles after quick passes or screens and occasionally taking the top off the defense vertically along with being heavily utilized in the run game, while others such as Brandon Aiyuk and Kendrick Bourne carved up opponents in the middle of the field with dig, drag, and post routes. Regardless of who has been at running back and receiver, however, tight end George Kittle has been the one constant throughout the Shanahan era in San Francisco. A rare weapon at the position who can generate chunk plays down the seam, rack up yards after the catch in bunches, and dominate opponents as an inline blocker, he has surpassed 1,000 yards four times in eight seasons, including eclipsing 1,100 yards with eight touchdown grabs in 2024, earning his fifth All-Pro selection as a result. He’s also been a Seahawk killer, scoring seven touchdowns in his last five regular season games in the rivalry. With McCaffrey back healthy after missing most of the 2024 season and Kittle back with a new contract in tow, even as Aiyuk recovers from a torn ACL and Samuel now resides in Washington after an offseason trade, Macdonald knows Seattle will once again be tested by not only the two long-time stars who excel at creating matchup nightmares for opponents, but other players such as Jajuan Jennings or Ricky Pearsall who will undoubtedly step up and have their talents maximized by Shanahan in his versatile offense. Adding another wrinkle to the equation, the 49ers hired Klay Kubiak, Klint Kubiak’s brother, as their new offensive coordinator this spring. While Shanahan will be calling the plays as always, a new coordinator added to the mix could have an impact on everything from personnel groupings to preferred run and pass concepts, and without the benefit of regular season games to watch and examine for game planning purposes with that pair of coaches together, the onus will fall on the Seahawks coaching staff to make critical adjustments as the game unfolds if they are to win a hard-fought opening week chess match. “There's going to be a little bit of things, things you're going to pay attention to, maybe big shifts in philosophy or how they're using people or people haven't played, maybe what position they're playing, things like that. Can't put too much stock into it, so there's not any sample size for us to go off of from this year going from last year. That's one of the challenges you have in a new coordinator, like on their defense, their special teams. It's hard to say. It's different than being in Week 6\. ‘Hey, we have a five-game sample here where they've had enough time to declare how they're going to operate.’ So you have to take that into account as your game plan, as you call the game.”