Mike Macdonald’s football career didn’t unfold on the field as planned, but that early setback helped shape the Seahawks coach now leading Seattle into the NFC title game.

Sam Darnold's first call after he was picked to be the starting quarterback for the New York Jets in 2018 was to his mom and dad

It took Darnold stops with the Carolina Panthers, and the San Francisco 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings, and now he's shining in the postseason for the Seattle Seahawks. It's certainly been quite the journey. Darnold spent his first three NFL seasons with the Jets. He went 13-25. He threw 45 touchdowns but 39 interceptions, too.

The Seahawks don't have an abundance of NFC Championship appearances. But when they do make it to the final four, they tend to perform well.

Seattle is facing Los Angeles with a shot at Super Bowl 60 on the line. Here's how they built such a dominant defense in 2025.