Head Coach Mike Macdonald On The NFC Championship Win vs. The Rams

Mike Macdonald (0:02)

All right, I don't really know what to say. I just, I'm incredibly proud of our team. I'm happy for the 12s, happy for our city.

What an atmosphere, just to be able to take it in after and understand what our team's been able to do up to this point and how they've done it. It's just, we're just blessed, just really blessed that we got a heck of a group and a great organization and a great owner and the best fans. So it's humbling too and it's just pretty awesome. I don't know, I'm kind of speechless. But just really proud of our guys. It's a team win. We didn't play our best game on defense. We made enough plays to win. You got to give them a lot of credit. They had a great game plan, did some things we weren't ready for. We had to adjust again. Part of the course for their offense. And it's a team win. Special teams had to pick it up. The drive at the end on offense was just tremendous. I thought Clint called a great game. And then you can't talk about the game without talking about our quarterback. I mean, he just shut a lot of people up tonight. So I'm really happy for him.

SPEAKER_2 (1:16)

What do you think got you?

SPEAKER_3 (1:18)

If you could key out tonight, what it took for you?

Mike Macdonald (1:22)

I don't know if anybody can hear me after, but the power of 12 is one is real. Just synergy, people buying in, doing it together. We're not made a bunch of superstars and all that. We're just a really good football team that's tough and connected and doesn't blink and plays the whole game.

SPEAKER_4 (1:40)

Mike, you kind of alluded to it there at the end, but there was sort of this narrative after earlier this season about whether or not Sam is a big game quarterback. What do you think he showed today?

Mike Macdonald (1:51)

300 and something yards, free touchdowns, no picks. Every time they went in and scored again, he came back, made some big time throws on third down, two minute drive, four minute drive.

The guy barely practiced all week, you know, just really happy for him. He deserves it, just been a rock for us the whole year, so just really happy for him.

SPEAKER_5 (2:16)

What was the way the defense held up on the drive after they got to the 66 there and the two plays that Devon kind of made in the end zone?

Mike Macdonald (2:25)

That's Devon Witherspoon, that's him. You know, we actually didn't even execute that play well on the fourth down, but he just covered his guy forever and just refused to let his guy catch the ball. And that's who he is. That's who he is every day. You know, that's who he is every day, so incredibly proud of him.

SPEAKER_6 (2:41)

This is five games against the Rams in two years. Total point advantage, you three in all five games. What is it about McVeigh's teams that seem to bring out the best in this game?

Mike Macdonald (2:53)

They're a great team. They're a great team. They're a great team and he's as good as it gets. Him and his staff, game plan wise, they got great players.

You just tip your hat to them, honestly. I know it's supposed to say that, division rival and everything, but we respect those guys. They're a great offense and they're great coaches. And it's a heck of a matchup. It's probably going to be like this for a long time.

SPEAKER_7 (3:22)

So, that final four-minute drive, the first half of Cooper Kupp gets, the one that K9 gets, and then the big throw of Jacks. What do you say about the way that whole drive unfolded?

Mike Macdonald (3:32)

Awesome. We popped a couple runs and then stayed aggressive with some of the passes and Sam made it happen. It was awesome.

SPEAKER_4 (3:43)

Will you tell the story to Jack one day?

SPEAKER_5 (3:45)

How do you think he'll start it?

Mike Macdonald (3:48)

I don't know. Probably won't say anything. He'll just kind of show him. Let him experience it.

It's just a great question. I hope he sees what we did with our team and how we played and what type of character this team has. That's what I hope he takes from the whole thing.

SPEAKER_8 (4:09)

Just in terms of character, you talked about at the top, the resiliency in the next play and the mentality that you've been telling us.

Mike Macdonald (4:16)

We needed it. I mean, look, they had us on the rope straight up. And sometimes it was defense making the play. A lot of times it was offense coming in and making the play, special teams. And that's what we believe. We believe that our team is our edge, how we play together.