A rising name already with defensive coordinator experience is taking a title "downgrade" to join the Super Bowl champions.
With the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl LX win now in the rearview mirror of the celebration parade tour busses, the organization has already gotten down to business preparing to run it back in 2026.
As a result, the defense that was already "the best in the world" just got better.
Former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zachary Orr is being hired by the Seahawks to coach the inside linebackers, sources told ESPN Friday evening.
It's a reunion for Orr and Mike Macdonald from their time in Baltimore together when Orr held the same position under then-defensive coordinator Macdonald with the Ravens.
When Macdonald was hired by Seattle as head coach at the start of the 2024 season, he reportedly wanted to bring Orr onto his staff, but the 33-year-old instead replaced him as DC, holding the position for both seasons since.
Now, he's taking a sort of title "downgrade" in order to join his guy and the Super Bowl champs.
Orr had interviewed across the league for coordinator positions following the Ravens' firing of longtime coach John Harbaugh, who landed with the New York Giants this cycle. Orr's latest request was to come interview with the Las Vegas Raiders' DC opening, who are now coached by Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Though this hire in Seattle leaves an uncertain future for current inside linebackers caoch Kirk Olivadotti, it is a testament to Macdonald's winning culture being able to attract the most sought-after coaching candidates in the league.
Orr was a former linebacker for the Ravens before getting his coaching career started in Baltimore as an analyst as soon as he playing career ended in 2016. The undrafted Dallas native coached outside backers in Jacksonville in 2021 before rejoining the Ravens.
According to ESPN, "Orr was one of two ex-Baltimore assistants to join Macdonald's staff Friday. ... Former Ravens director of football strategy/assistant quarterbacks coach Daniel Stern is also reuniting with Macdonald in a to-be-determined role -- possibly as Seattle's pass-game strategist."
Macdonald is believed to be "leaning toward an internal promotion" for the offensive coordinator vacancy left by Kubiak, but when it comes to the "dark side" defense that carried the Seahawks to the franchise's second Super Bowl victory, having Orr on staff prospers plenty of optimism for a repeat.
There's no "downgrade" in the industry when you're competing for championships.