Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald reveals spending only 30 minutes with his son Jack each week

In December 2024, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and his wife Stephanie welcomed their first child, a son named Jack David Macdonald. Macdonald told NFL Network’s John Boyle then, “Steph had our boy last night, and both are happy and healthy. That’s kind of a crazy statement to say out loud. But we’re really blessed, obviously. Man, what a woman can do is just an unbelievable thing. What a warrior she is, she’s awesome. I’ll see her later on here at the hospital, but it was an incredible night. I’m just thankful for everybody at the hospital. The doctors, nurses, those people are A-plus-plus in what they do. It’s pretty awesome, that’s what they do every day, the stuff they work through. Just really blessed, really excited, can’t wait to see him again tonight.”A year later, MLFootball shares moving footage of Jack’s father, Mike Macdonald. The Seattle coach admits he spends only 30 minutes with his son on Thursdays. And then, after those 30 minutes to an hour, he goes to his setup at home to create a game plan.“I actually think I’m here less,” Macdonald told KING 5 Seattle. “Which is, I hope some of our coaches took that as well. On Thursdays, I don’t get to see Jack throughout the week as much, so on Thursdays, which is today, I try to get home pretty quick to be with him, maybe a half-hour to an hour before he goes to bed. Then I got a setup at my house where I can go and work on the game plan. But able to spend some more time at home and be with Jack, and also, it kinda lets you get away from everything, kinda see things from a different perspective. And it keeps you fresh. So, it’s been helpful.”Cybercitizens had mixed reactions, with some criticizing the coach and others complimenting his hard work.One X user wrote, “What a shame. Nothing is more important than your kids.” Another joked, “Lol that’s why Philip Rivers wants to be a coach. He's sick of them kids.” A third person said, “Half an hour a week… [flushed face emoji] Shows the sacrifices coaches make behind the scenes. Respect, Mike [folded hands and football emojis].” A fourth user added, “#Seahawks …what a terrible example of fatherhood! Don’t care how good your team is.” A fifth user commented, “Nah, that’s not right. If that’s true, I fully understand why the last two Steelers coaches retired “young” to spend time with family.” Another wrote, “30 min a week? Bro’s raising a Seahawk, not a son. At least the kid gets quality over quantity… unlike the secondary.” Another person said, “People don’t realize how much these coaches put into the game plan.” A third user wrote, “Better win that ring.” A fourth user said, “This isn’t impressive, this is being a [---] parent.” A fifth user added, “The kid is 13 months old. Everyone in the comments needs to chill tf out.”Heavy Sports' Jonathan Adams reports that Stephanie was an NFL cheerleader for eight years with the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans. She is also a talented musician, has performed the national anthem before NFL games, and has also been a regular part of singing at her local church. In 2014, as a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader, she was named to the Pro Bowl. "You are not expecting it, it was my second year on the team and every single person on the team is so deserving and deserves to go," Stephanie shared in a Feb. 2024 interview after Seattle hired Mike Macdonald.