Seahawks' Super Season

story by Quin Ford, photo courtesy of William Pedalaborde and Quin Ford, design by Alex Littman

It’s a windy fall day at Lumen Field and the Seahawks are knotted up in a close game. The crowd is erupting as momentum is shifting towards the home team — the sweet smell of victory is near. This scenario has been seen time and time again throughout the 2025-26 season. Brilliant draft selections, trades, new coaches and most importantly a winning mentality from the whole organization, allowed the team to make the push from being first round playoff exits, to Super Bowl 60 winners. Here is a timeline of the key moments that took the Seahawks from one Super Bowl win to another.

The Seahawks set a new franchise record in wins this 2025-26 season with a dominant 14-3 record, going 8-1 on the road and winning their last seven regular season games. Ending with the best record in the NFC, the Hawks earned the No.1 seed in the division, earning them a bye week and home field advantage. The team picked up right where they left off and added an eighth straight win to the season by dismantling the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. After repeatedly failing to find the endzone, the Niners ended the game with two field goals and defeat came with a sweet score of 41-6. 

Eight days later, the Hawks needed one more win to advance to Super Bowl 60, but one problem stood in their way: the Los Angeles Rams. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold delivered in the bright lights, throwing for 346 passing yards and three touchdowns, alongside his wide-receiver one and 2026 Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught 153 of those yards and scored a touchdown. The team finished strong protecting home turf and sent the Rams back to LA with a 31-27 point loss. With the New England Patriots beating the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, Super Bowl 60 was a rematch of Super Bowl 49, this time with a different outcome. Seattle’s defense held its ground against the young Patriots offense, racking up a game total of six sacks and holding them scoreless going into halftime. Offensively Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III ended the game with 135 rushing yards on 27 carries, earning him the SB MVP award and most importantly helping to win the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy — redemption came with a score of 29-13. 

The Rebuild

Sunday Feb. 2, 2014 holds significant meaning to Seahawks fans from around the world. Why? It’s the day they crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl 48 to claim the franchise’s first Lombardi trophy. Considering that was 12 years ago, the team is completely different from today’s Hawks. Notable changes — such as the retirement of all of the “Legion of Boom” players and Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, Pete Carroll’s stepping down and quarterback Russell Wilson leaving for another team — has allowed for the creation of a new elite squad. While the nostalgia may be hitting you right about now, don’t get too worked up because there is plenty of great news. The Seahawks are back to their glory days. 

Let’s start with arguably the most impactful decision the front office took to get the team to where they are now, the Russell Wilson trade of 2022. Ironically, contract disputes led to Wilson going to the team that he dominated in Super Bowl 48, the Denver Broncos. Because of Wilson’s productive 10-year tenure on the team, the Hawks scored five picks in the draft by trading him, ultimately leading to drafting four players who started in Super Bowl 60. They included left tackle Charles Cross (2022 ninth overall pick), cornerback Devon Witherspoon (2023 fifth overall pick) and rush ends Boye Mafe (second round, 2022) and Derick Hall (second round, 2023). Additionally, the Hawks used their own draft picks to pick up another two key players — Kenneth Walker III in 2022 and Jaxson Smith-Njigba in the 2023 draft. 

Another monumental change happened in 2023 when 14-year Head Coach Pete Carroll decided to step down. Seahawks General Manager John Schneider and Carroll had significant impacts on leading the team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2014 and 2015. Because of his contributions, Carroll is now considered an all-time great in the city of Seattle. Without a head coach, it was Schneider's job to replace Carroll and restore greatness to the once dominant Seahawks team. Just three weeks later, Schneider made a big decision and hired former Baltimore Ravens Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald. Considering Macdonald’s expertise lies in the defensive scheme of football, he contributes to a large portion of the team's defense and to their new nickname, “The Dark Side.” The 2024-25 season marked Macdonald’s first year as the Hawks’ new head coach. After a mediocre first year with a 10-7 record and a missed playoff opportunity, it was time to make some tough decisions. 

The team, then led by quarterback Geno Smith, combined for 23 total touchdowns paired with 15 interceptions in Macdonald’s first year as the head coach for the Hawks. While Smith had an unexpected three seasons with Seattle, it soon became evident that the chances of the team making a deep playoff run and potentially winning a Super Bowl did not lie in Smith. By the end of the 2024-25 season he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Fans questioned the decision made by the front office as it wasn’t that Smith was a bad quarterback, he was just becoming inconsistent. Just six days after Smith was traded, the Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold after his one-season stint with the Minnesota Vikings.

Darnold had an exceptional 2024-25 season with the Vikings, ending the season 14-3, along with 36 combined touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Although he and the team had a great regular season, they ended the year in disappointing fashion — losing in the wildcard round to the Los Angeles Rams. Fast forward to the current season with the Hawks, Darnold led the team to his second straight 14-3 record — placing him in the NFL history books alongside seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady, as the only QB’s in NFL history to win 14 games in back-to-back seasons. If this isn’t impressive enough, Darnold is the only QB in NFL history to lead his team to 14 win seasons consecutively with two different franchises. 

Victorious once again, the Seahawks capitalized on an exceptional season, bringing the Lombardi trophy back to the Emerald City. With the young core the team has, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them continue to make playoff runs each season. Who knows, maybe another Super Bowl win is a possibility in the near future. The 12s are ready to keep the celebration going. 

Notable Seattle Seasons

Mariners:

Catcher Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners ended the 2025 regular season winning their last 7 of 10 games, finishing with a 90-72 record, winning the division for the first time since 2001 and more importantly a spot in the playoffs. The M’s had the most thrilling post season run since that 2001 season where the team broke the MLB record with 116 wins in a season — 24 years later, this achievement still belongs to them. With a chance to make it to their first World Series, in game seven of the ALCS the team fought hard but unfortunately ended the season with a devastating loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Considering the team was so close to the championship they could taste it, fans and spectators alike can expect to see them making another deep playoff run sooner rather than later. 

Sounders: 

What do the Seattle Sounders and losing have in common? Absolutely nothing! 

The team had a sensational 2025 season, which led to them taking down former World Cup winner Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami’s team in Aug to take home the League Cup. After taking home the cup, the Sounders found themselves in a league of their own as the only MLS team to win all five North American trophies: the MLS Cup (2016,’19), the U.S. Open Cup (2009,’10,’11,’14), the Supporters Shield (2014) and the Concocaf Champions Cup (2022). 

Seattle Torrent: 

Allow me to introduce you to the newest professional women’s sports team in town, the “Seattle Torrent." Founded in April 2025, Seattle’s new professional women’s hockey team is just the eighth women’s team in the U.S. The team hosts their home games in the same facility as the professional men’s hockey team the “Seattle Kraken" at Climate Pledge Arena. Make sure to keep a lookout for the five-time women’s hockey Olympian and Forward for the Torrent Hilary Knight. After the 2026 Winter Olympics, Knight now holds the record for the most goals and points scored all-time in U.S. hockey history. 

In addition to Knight’s Olympic appearance, five other Torrent players were selected to compete. Joining her on Team USA were Torrent alternate captain Alex Carpenter, along with three-time Olympian Cayla Barnes and Hannah Bilka who made her first Olympic appearance. Lastly, first-time Olympian Julia Gosling represented Team Canada and Aneta Tejralová made her second Olympic appearance representing Team Czechia. The women’s team ended the Olympics going undefeated, outscoring their opponents 33-2 through seven games, ultimately earning them their first gold medal in a long awaited eight years. 

With all the star studded talent on the Torrent, mixed with Olympic appearances, it’s safe to say fans have a lot to look forward to in the future.