Honestly, if you told a Seattle fan back in March 2025 that the team would be sitting at 14-3 with a first-round bye in January 2026, they would have probably asked what you were drinking. It was a weird time. Pete Carroll was gone. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were out the door. Even Geno Smith, the guy who "didn't write back," was traded to the Raiders in a move that felt like the Seahawks were finally waving the white flag.
But look at them now.
The NFL football Seattle Seahawks aren't just surviving; they are the number one seed in the NFC. They've reinvented themselves under Mike Macdonald. It wasn't about a slow rebuild. It was a hostile takeover of the NFC West. While everyone was busy mourning the "Legion of Boom" era or questioning the Sam Darnold signing, John Schneider was quietly building a roster that broke the franchise record for regular-season wins.
They didn't just win; they dominated.
The Sam Darnold Resurrection is Real
Let’s be real for a second: nobody saw this coming from Sam Darnold. When Seattle signed him to a three-year deal to replace Geno, the internet collectively rolled its eyes. He was supposed to be a bridge. A placeholder for a rookie. Instead, he just made his second consecutive Pro Bowl.
He didn't do it alone, obviously. Having a weapon like Jaxon Smith-Njigba helps. JSN didn't just "step up"—he obliterated the record books. 1,793 receiving yards. That’s not a typo. He blew past DK Metcalf’s single-season franchise record and didn't look back. It turns out that when you give a high-level route runner like JSN the volume he deserves, the NFL football Seattle Seahawks offense becomes an absolute nightmare to scheme against.
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Then there’s the Rashid Shaheed factor. Getting him from the Saints at the trade deadline was a stroke of genius. He’s already an All-Pro caliber returner, but he’s also given Darnold that vertical threat that disappeared when Lockett left.
Why Mike Macdonald is the New King of the North(west)
It’s easy to credit the offense, but the real soul of this team is the defense. Mike Macdonald is basically a wizard. He brought that Baltimore "illusion of complexity" to the Pacific Northwest and it worked instantly.
Seattle finished the season with a +191 point differential. That’s better than the 2013 Super Bowl team. Think about that for a minute.
- Devon Witherspoon is a problem for every offensive coordinator in the league. He’s essentially a heat-seeking missile playing corner.
- The trade for Ernest Jones from the Titans changed the middle of the field. He brought a nastiness that the linebacker room was missing.
- Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence are playing like they’re 24 again.
The defense isn't just "good." It’s suffocating. In Week 18, they held the 49ers to just 3 points. At Levi's Stadium. That game effectively clinched the top seed and proved that Seattle’s defense can win in January.
The 49ers Rivalry Just Got Weird
Speaking of San Francisco, the path to the Super Bowl goes through Lumen Field, and it starts with a third matchup against the Niners. It’s funny, really. Seattle and San Francisco split their regular-season games. The Niners won a 17-13 slugfest in Week 1, and the Seahawks got revenge with that 13-3 defensive clinic in the finale.
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Now, the Seahawks are coming off a bye week, feeling fresh. The Niners are banged up. No George Kittle. Linebackers are a mess. Macdonald’s "let it rip" mentality is the exact opposite of the conservative play-calling that used to haunt this team in the postseason.
The Salary Cap Reality Check
We need to talk about the money, though. Success in the NFL football Seattle Seahawks world usually comes with a price tag. John Schneider has some massive decisions to make this spring.
Right now, they have about $64 million in cap space, which sounds like a lot until you realize how many guys need to get paid. Rashid Shaheed is a free agent. Kenneth Walker III is entering a contract year. Boye Mafe and Tariq Woolen aren't going to be cheap.
There’s already talk that Uchenna Nwosu might be a cap casualty. He’s got a $20 million cap hit and he's been battling injuries. It sucks because he’s a great player, but this is the "no-ego" culture Macdonald and Schneider have built. They aren't afraid to make the hard cuts to keep the core together.
Some analysts are even looking at Jason Myers or Cooper Kupp as potential cuts to save money. Yes, Cooper Kupp is a Seahawk—that still feels weird to type. He’s a veteran presence, but JSN is the alpha now.
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What’s Actually Next for the Hawks?
If you're looking for how this season ends, keep your eyes on the injury report this week. Getting left tackle Charles Cross back is huge. Sam Darnold is a different quarterback when he isn't seeing ghosts behind a backup line. Rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo returning from IR is also a sneaky-important development for the divisional round.
The NFL football Seattle Seahawks have moved past the "rebuilding" label. They are a juggernaut.
Actionable Insights for the Postseason:
- Watch the Red Zone: Seattle’s defense was top-tier in the regular season, but their ability to force field goals instead of touchdowns will determine if they beat San Francisco a second time in three weeks.
- Monitor JSN’s Targets: If the Niners double-team Smith-Njigba, look for Rashid Shaheed to be the x-factor on deep crossers.
- Keep an Eye on Jalen Milroe: The rookie QB hasn't seen much action, but Macdonald has shown a willingness to use creative packages. Don't be surprised if he shows up in a "Taysom Hill" role during the playoffs.
Whether they win the Super Bowl or not, one thing is certain: the Seahawks are the most dangerous team in the NFC, and they're doing it with a roster that "experts" said was a year away from competing. It’s a great time to be a 12.