Who is Seahawks coach Mike McDonald’s wife? All about Stephanie McDonald

Mike McDonald’s wife, Stephanie McDonald, is happy to root for the Seattle Seahawks, even though she has cheered for other teams in the league in the past.

The Seahawks head coach met the former NFL cheerleader while working for the Baltimore Ravens. They married in 2021 and have since welcomed one child.

After being named the Seahawks’ head coach in 2024, Mike told his inaugural press conference that his wife was an “absolute rock star” and assured the audience that “the city is going to fall in love with her,” according to the Seahawks’ website.

Stefani also said after the press conference that she feels “very lucky” to be joining the Seahawks family.

“When I walked in, I got a warm welcome and thought, ‘Okay, this is where we’re meant to be,'” she said.

So who is Seahawks coach Mike McDonald’s wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Stephanie McDonald.

She is a graduate of Virginia Tech

Stephanie may be rooting for Seattle now, but she grew up as a proud Hokie. She was born in Annapolis, Maryland, but grew up primarily in Fredericksburg, Virginia, as she told The Blonde Side blog in 2015.

She then attended Virginia Tech, where she was on the cheer team. According to LinkedIn, Stephanie graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in communications, but also minored in sociology.

She is a former NFL cheerleader

While Stephanie supported her husband’s coaching career, she also had an eight-year career in the NFL as a cheerleader herself.

According to the Seattle Seahawks website, she cheered for the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, and Washington Commanders.

“Each team had a special place in my heart,” she told the site, adding that her favorite moment was when she was named a Pro Bowl cheerleader for the Ravens in 2014.

In addition to her cheer career, Stephanie is also a singer. During her time as manager, she had the honor of singing the national anthem before games.

According to LinkedIn, Stephanie also holds several roles in the sales department.

The two met in 2015 while both were playing for the Ravens.

During an appearance on The Purple Chair Podcast in December 2022, Stefani shared some insight into the early days of her relationship with Mike, revealing that they met when they were both on the Baltimore Ravens.

At the time, Mike was the defensive coordinator and Stephanie was a cheerleader.

Stephanie said she met him by chance, but didn’t know she was on the coaching staff. When she found out, she reportedly told him, “I can’t do that.”

Notably, their meeting was in October 2015, which also happened to be their last season with the team. So, they caught up when the season ended and they started dating after she left the Ravens in March 2016.

they got married in 2021

Mike and Stephanie got engaged in the summer of 2019, as they shared on X in July of the same year. The two married in 2021, according to the University of Michigan athletics website.

Since then, Stephanie has been very supportive of Mike’s career. In January 2022, she shared a heartfelt post reflecting on her time at Michigan after X served as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan.

“I just want to thank @MikeMacUM for bringing me to one of the greatest cities in the world, for letting me share my excitement with you, and for making me feel loved and appreciated during some of the most chaotic and challenging years of our lives,” she wrote. “I love you. #ForeverGoBlue.”

Mike called her a ‘warrior’ after welcoming son Jack

Mike and Stephanie gave birth to their first child, son Jack, in early December 2024. The day after Jack was born, Mike announced the news at a press conference.

“Well, I think the cat is out of the bag now,” he said. “But Steph gave birth to a baby boy last night. They’re both happy and healthy. It’s weird to say it out loud, but we’re really excited and really happy, rightfully so.”

Mike went on to praise his wife, saying, “It’s incredible what a woman can do. What a warrior she is. She’s amazing.”