It is a crisp November afternoon in Nashville, and most people watching the Seattle Seahawks take on the Titans are focusing on the big-name stars. But if you were looking closely at the special teams unit and the rotational linebacker depth, you saw something else. You saw #52, a 6-1, 227-pound frame that looks like it was built in a Montana woodshop, flying into the backfield.
Patrick O'Connell isn't just another name on the bottom of a depth chart. To the Seattle coaching staff, he is a "process" guy. To the fans in Missoula, he is a legend. To the rest of the NFL? Honestly, he is a problem they didn't see coming.
Most undrafted free agents (UDFAs) are lucky to survive a single training camp. They get their "cup of coffee," maybe a preseason tackle or two, and then they're off to the XFL or a desk job. Patrick O'Connell Seahawks tenure has been different. Since 2023, he has been the ultimate survivor, a practice squad warrior who finally forced his way into the 2025 regular-season rotation through sheer, unadulterated effort.
The Walk-On Mentality That Never Left
You've got to understand where this guy comes from to get why he plays like his hair is on fire. Patrick grew up in Kalispell, Montana. He wasn't some five-star recruit with a NIL deal waiting in the wings. In fact, he started his college journey at the University of Mary before deciding to bet on himself. He gave up a scholarship and a baseball career to walk on at the University of Montana.
That's a bold move. It's the kind of move that either makes you or breaks you.
By the time he left the Grizzlies, he was sixth all-time in school history with 28.5 sacks. He wasn't just a "try-hard" player; he was a production machine. Yet, when the 2023 NFL Draft rolled around, 259 names were called, and none of them were his. The Seahawks scooped him up as a UDFA on May 12, 2023, and since then, he's been the human embodiment of the "Next Man Up" philosophy.
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Breaking Down the Patrick O'Connell Seahawks 2025 Impact
While casual fans might look at a stat sheet and see "rotational linebacker," the 2025 season actually saw O'Connell take a massive leap in utility. If you look at the Week 12 game against the Titans, O'Connell exploded for 9 combined tackles (4 solo) and his first career NFL sack.
That wasn't a fluke. It was the culmination of two years of being released and re-signed more times than most people change their oil.
Look at his roster journey over the last few years:
- May 2023: Signed as a UDFA.
- August 2023: Released during final cuts, signed to the practice squad.
- December 2023: Made his NFL debut on his 25th birthday against the Steelers.
- August 2024: Released again, back to the practice squad.
- November 2024: Promoted to the active roster.
- 2025: Finally established as a core special teamer and reliable defensive backup.
Basically, O'Connell is the guy the Seahawks keep in their back pocket. When injuries hit the linebacker room—like when Chazz Surratt went down in late 2025—O'Connell doesn't just fill a jersey. He knows the system as well as the starters do. Mike Macdonald’s defense requires a high football IQ, and O'Connell has proven he can handle the complex "simulated pressure" looks that Macdonald loves to run.
Why the "Small" Frame Doesn't Matter
The knock on O'Connell has always been his size. At 227 pounds, he is technically undersized for a traditional NFL "thumper" linebacker. Critics say he'll get washed out by 320-pound offensive guards.
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But have you watched his Pro Day numbers?
He posted a 38.5-inch vertical jump. That is elite explosiveness. His 10-yard split (1.63 seconds) shows that he has the "click and close" ability needed to chase down mobile QBs or blow up a screen pass before it develops. In the modern NFL, where teams are playing sub-packages and nickel defense 70% of the time, being a 245-pound linebacker is actually a disadvantage. O'Connell fits the "new age" mold: fast, twitchy, and capable of playing in space.
What Most People Get Wrong About Practice Squad Elevations
There's this misconception that being a "practice squad guy" means you're not an NFL-caliber player. That’s just not true. The Patrick O'Connell Seahawks story proves that the gap between the 53rd man on the roster and the practice squad is razor-thin.
O'Connell has survived multiple coaching shifts and roster overhauls. When John Schneider and Mike Macdonald looked at the roster they inherited, they kept O'Connell around. That speaks volumes. He’s cheap—his 2025 salary cap charge was roughly $343,333—and he provides high-level special teams play. In an era of tight salary caps, a guy who can play four phases of special teams and give you 15 snaps of quality defense is worth his weight in gold.
The Montana Connection and the "Griz" Legacy
It’s impossible to talk about Patrick without mentioning the Montana Grizzlies. There is a certain brand of "Griz" football—it's gritty, it's loud, and it's usually played in the cold. O'Connell carries that with him. He was the 2022 Big Sky Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He wasn't just a participant; he was a dominator at the FCS level.
He joins a small but proud list of Montana players who have made the jump to the pros. For Seahawks fans, he's kind of become the new favorite underdog. You see him on the sidelines, and you know he’s worked ten times harder than the first-round picks just to be there.
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Actionable Insights for Seahawks Fans
If you're following the Seahawks' roster construction heading into 2026, keep an eye on these specific things regarding O'Connell:
- Special Teams Snap Counts: Watch for him as a "gunner" or on the kickoff return unit. This is where he earns his paycheck and secures his roster spot for the long haul.
- Contract Status: He is currently under a team-friendly deal with a potential 2026 base salary around $1.145 million. If he continues to produce like he did in late 2025, he might be looking at a more stable multi-year extension as a core depth piece.
- Weight Gain: See if he shows up to 2026 camp closer to 235 pounds. Adding just a bit of bulk without losing that 38-inch vertical would make him a legitimate contender for a starting "Will" linebacker spot if injuries occur.
Patrick O'Connell isn't going to be the face of a Nike campaign. He isn't going to lead the league in jerseys sold. But if you want to understand how a successful NFL franchise builds depth, you look at the guys like him. He’s the glue. He’s the guy who stays late in the film room and hits harder in practice than he does in the games.
Ultimately, the Seahawks found a diamond in the rough in the Montana mountains. Whether he becomes a full-time starter or remains a special teams ace, Patrick O'Connell has already beaten the odds. He’s an NFL player. And for a kid from Kalispell who walked on to his college team, that’s a hell of a story.
Check the Seahawks' official injury reports and transaction wires throughout the off-season. If O'Connell is being mentioned as a primary backup in OTAs, it's a sign that the front office views him as a long-term solution rather than a temporary fix.