Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald thanked Sports Spectrum for asking him about his faith, and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called it his favorite question of the evening Monday at Super Bowl LX Opening Night in San Jose.
With the big game drawing near and the buzz of football fanaticism approaching a crescendo, Macdonald and Kubiak dissected everything curious journalists could think to ask about their team’s matchup with the AFC’s New England Patriots on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Macdonald was busy navigating questions about reaching the Super Bowl in his second season, while Kubiak had to manage questions about his reported ties to the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching vacancy.
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So, when they were given the opportunity to talk about the One who supersedes it all, Macdonald and Kubiak were eager to do so — relieved even.
“Your identity is not in your job; our identity is in Christ,” Kubiak said told Sports Spectrum. “When I learned that, and I spent more time in the Word from all the mentors I had in coaching that helped me get into Bible studies and read the Word every day, it took a really heavy load off just knowing that I’m a child of God.”
With dozens of reporters crowding his podium, Macdonald also revealed that he finds his rest in God.
“My faith has really grown over the last couple years. That’s what I lean on. That’s where your strength comes from,” the 38-year-old head coach said. “Recently I have so much gratitude, and then ultimately strength, that you feel like God has put you in a position to lead these people.
“[Faith is] your guiding light every day, so it’s something that I can hopefully continue to grow, and hopefully our players continue to seek it out — seek their faith and grow in their faith. It’s really special, and we got a lot of guys that are examples for me, too.”
Kubiak, who is 38 years old as well, provided one of the most galvanizing moments for the Seahawks during their impressive 14-3 regular season that ended with a No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. For a Christmas gift to the team, he bought Bibles for every Seattle player and coach.
“That’s the most important thing,” he told Sports Spectrum when asked why he made the gesture. “… You’re trying to find Christmas gifts for guys every year to show them that you love them, and what better gift than that?”
Seattle assistant head coach Leslie Frazier said he was inspired by Kubiak’s generosity.
“You talking about touching people across our team? That is so unique and so rare,” the 66-year-old veteran NFL coach told Sports Spectrum. “It meant a lot. It meant a lot to everybody in our building, just that he would do that. His whole point of it was he wanted everybody to be able to find out what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the starting point, having a Bible. No one should walk away from this building without having a Bible.”
The former Minnesota Vikings head coach said he became a follower of Christ while in college, and he’s noticed that a common faith in Jesus has helped to bond this year’s Seahawks.
“Our chaplain, Jonathan Rainey, has done a terrific job of bringing our coaches together along with our players,” Frazier said. “With our Bible studies with our players, with our Bible studies with our coaches, and then we have chapel also. For us, that’s a special time because we don’t get a chance to go to church on Sunday. We’re playing, so you miss that.
“But that connection piece? That to me is what makes our team so special. There’s a bond there that goes beyond just being teammates, because there’s a love for one another that’s based on our faith. We have a ton of guys and coaches that love the Lord, and so you’re pulling for your brothers all the time … because they love each other.”
Frazier continued later: “You need other people to hold you accountable. You need someone to disciple you to help you grow in your faith, because life can be challenging, and you need to know where you turn when things get difficult. For me, that’s been Jesus Christ.”
A Super Bowl rematch over a decade in the making. #SBLX pic.twitter.com/xrE8WtIGx5
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026
With a unique bond centered on faith, the Seahawks are preparing for this year’s Super Bowl rematch to favor them this time (in February 2015, New England overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Seattle, 28-24, in Super Bowl XLIX). Three of the past four Super Bowls have been decided by just three points, so if history holds, Sunday’s matchup could be another instant classic.
Kickoff between the Seahawks and Patriots is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
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