Mike Macdonald Gives Rookie Reality Check to Jalen Milroe as NFL World Demands More Reps

The first taste of fall ball in Seattle came with a little curveball. The rookie with the cannon arm and track-star wheels gave Lumen Field a glimpse of what he can be. It sure gave the Seattle fans a hint of hope they aren’t used to. But then? Jalen Milroe and the fans got hit just as quickly with some straight-shooting honesty from Mike Macdonald.

He gave some props, threw in a few challenges, and most importantly, he hit the brakes on the hype train. If you were really paying attention, the takeaway was obvious: Jalen Milroe’s got skyscraper-level potential, but he’s still figuring out how to run the elevator.

Macdonald didn’t bother dressing it up and cut straight through the noise. Said Milroe “moved the chains,” but also “left some opps in the red zone,” and still has some “operational errors” to clean up. Stuff like getting the huddle set and spitting out the play call without tripping over it. That’s not a shade, it’s just an honest overview of a rookie.

And the way they’ve handled the rotation backs it up. ESPN had already hinted before the preseason opener that Sam Darnold would get most of the first-team work, with Milroe mixed in behind him. That’s exactly how it has played out so far. So, what do the little but early reps tell us? Against the Raiders on August 7, he didn’t obliterate the box score, but he did exactly what a rookie is expected to do. He went 6-for-10 with 61 yards, no interceptions, and no touchdowns, and plenty of poise. The film lined up with what Macdonald preached a couple of days later: smart reads, flashes of that athletic burst.

But there were a few very clear areas to clean up. Like tightening up the red-zone execution and speeding up the overall operation. Those same coaching points popped up again this week in Macdonald’s presser.

If you’re scratching your head about why the coaches are keeping things on a tighter leash, the context matters. Milroe is leaping a college setup where his legs bailed him out every Saturday. At Alabama, he wasn’t just the passer (2,844 yards through the air), he was also the leading rusher (726 yards). NFL is different. Command first, creativity second.

And then there’s Klint Kubiak’s new offense, which just unlocks another level. The Seahawks brought him in back in January to install a balanced, under-center, play-action-heavy scheme. A system where rhythm and efficiency matter just as much as arm strength. In that setup, even small “operational errors” can award you with lower reps. But the fans disagree. They want to see more from him.

Are the fans justified in wanting more from Macdonald?

It’s a full-on protest (exaggeration, but you get it). They are banging the table for more No. 6. Local radio and Seahawks blogs have been driving the “let him play” drumbeat, with stations like Seattle Sports 710 carving out Milroe segments and asking for more snaps.

And you can’t really blame them. You can’t not be excited when you watch Jalen Milroe play. Even though he doesn’t light up the stats (not yet, at least), he has that poise and technique we tune in for on Sundays. And it’s not like the stats are bad, either. That Raiders debut showed exactly what he can become. Poise, quick processing, and a clean sheet at 6-of-10 for 61 yards. It’s fair to want more reps.

And obviously, the college resume. We’re talking about a quarterback who just wrapped up a college season leading his team in both passing (2,844 yards) and rushing (726 yards) while tacking on 20 rushing touchdowns. On paper, that’s the profile of a developmental starter with legit red-zone value.

So, as much as a rookie excites us, the fans need to be ready for the long game from him. But Macdonald’s slow-roll approach is holding him back. Is it? Well, he might be building the foundation. Clean up the huddle. Master the calls. Get the red-zone spacing right. Every time he checks a box, he earns more snaps, and that’s how those preseason flashes eventually turn into real September packages.