Camp Takeaways: Tempers Flare, Tight Ends Explode for Seahawks in Heated Sixth Practice
Calling themselves a brotherhood, the Seattle Seahawks have as tight knit of a locker room as any to be found in the NFL, which played a crucial role in their recent run to a Super Bowl LX title.
But as any parent who has raised children understands all too well, that doesn’t mean that brothers don’t still fight from time to time, especially on a practice field in late July during the dog days of summer.
With ramped up intensity matching the rising 80-plus degree temperatures on the practice field in Friday afternoon’s second padded practice, coach Mike Macdonald and his staff had to step in to break up multiple skirmishes with tempers flaring on both sides. Most of the discontent came at the line of scrimmage, stemming from tensions that initially started to brew during one-on-one drills when guard Bryce Cabeldue appeared to get under the skin of a few of his defensive line mates.
Sure enough, without enough time to cool down in the heat of a competitive camp practice, those festering emotions boiled over midway through Seattle’s first 11-on-11 team period. Getting the ball rolling, defensive tackle Leonard Williams sprinted 15 yards downfield to tackle AJ Barner from behind in pursuit, something the tight end did not appreciate as the two started jawing at each other post-whistle.
Tory Horton Returns as Seahawks Begin Training Camp With Mostly Encouraging Health Updates
Approaching the midway point of the 2025 season, a wide open Offensive Rookie of the Year race had a surprise contender emerge from the Seattle Seahawks’ potent top-five scoring offense in the form of Tory Horton.
Falling into the fifth round after missing a significant chunk of his senior season at Colorado State with a knee/hamstring injury, Horton bounced back from the setback to quickly become one of Sam Darnold’s favorite targets on his new team. Though he only had caught 13 passes in nine games, five of those receptions put points on the scoreboard, including a pair of touchdowns in a 38-14 blowout win over the Commanders on Sunday Night Football in Week 9, tying him with superstar Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the team lead in receiving touchdowns.
Despite playing the entirety of the blowout win in Landover, Horton unexpectedly dealt with shin soreness in the days that followed the victory, first missing a handful of practices with hopes the injury wouldn’t sideline him for long. However, after missing a Week 10 win over Arizona, the shin showed no signs of improvement, leading to a stint on injured reserve that transitioned from being a projected four-week absence initially into the season-ending variety, keeping him out all the way through Seattle’s Super Bowl run and even into the offseason program this spring as he recovered from an injury far worse than anyone expected.
Lights, Camera, Lombardi: Seahawks Set to Star on Hard Knocks as Title Defense Begins
The show Hard Knocks has been a staple for football fans since its inception in 2001. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, the sights and sounds of that show welcome football fans to another season in the NFL. They typically cover a team’s training camp and the team's preparation for the upcoming football season. It’s enjoyable for fans to learn about some of the lower-level players on the roster and root for underdog stories. It typically highlights players fighting to make the roster or battle to become a starter.
Opening camp this upcoming weekend, the Seattle Seahawks will become the first reigning Super Bowl champs to be featured on the show since its inaugural year covering the Baltimore Ravens ahead of their title defense in 2001. The recent trade of the show had been a rebuilding team trying to find its footing, with franchises like the Bears and Jets, or a team right on the cusp of greatness like the Buffalo Bills last summer.
Previously, the Seahawks had been asked to be part of the show in 2013, but declined. The NFL now has the power to select a team to be part of Hard Knocks. Essentially, “volun-telling” them instead of waiting for a volunteer. Certainly, the Seahawks will bring eyeballs to the show as the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Analysis: Debating Seahawks’ Rankings on ESPN Top 10 Lists
During the agonizing buffer period between the conclusion of offseason programs and the start of training camp during June and July, the annual arrival of NFL ranking season comes full force to help fill the gap for football fans.
Among the most notable rankings to be revealed each year, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler unleashes a top-10 list for 11 positional groups on offense and defense, using polls of select executives, coaches, and scouts to compile the rankings. The changes from year-to-year can be a fascinating case study in itself, seeing how opinions of certain players change over time with the rankings being predicated on the best players at each position in the present.
Interestingly, after winning Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks only had four players who landed top-10 spots at their respective positions. In contrast, nine other teams had five or more players who received such distinction, including the Lions with a league-high nine players who made the annual lists and the NFC West rival 49ers and Rams each having five apiece.
Looking at this year’s top-10 rankings provided courtesy of Fowler and ESPN, did those who placed votes get it right with the defending champions? Or did they miss the mark with several deserving players?
Seahawks TE AJ Barner Aiming to Turn ‘Obsession’ Into All-Pro Trajectory
Nothing elevates an NFL player’s profile more than winning a Super Bowl, the most prestigious sporting event in the world.
Just ask AJ Barner, who happily basked in the limelight as much as anyone on the Seattle Seahawks during the run to their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Capping off a stellar sophomore season in style, the young tight end scored Seattle’s only offensive touchdown in a 29-13 win over New England at Levis Stadium on the receiving end of a 16-yard toss from Sam Darnold and became a folk hero of sorts with his wild, energized antics throughout the team’s Super Bowl parade a few short days later.
To the delight of the 12s in attendance, Barner soaked up every second as the team paraded downtown, but the celebration came with a firm expiration date for him. The former fourth round pick out of Michigan had been battling through various injuries to close out the season that needed to be cleaned up and in the days following the parade, he underwent a pair of surgeries for undisclosed ailments, quickly shifting his attention towards getting right for the 2026 season with more goals to chase down in front of him.
“You go from winning the Super Bowl, doing the parade, to getting two surgeries the next week. People don't really get to see that,” Barner said following Seattle’s first open minicamp practice earlier this month. “It was awesome to reach that pinnacle, but it's like, all right, now I gotta go back, kind of back to the woods, go into the dark, and go get right. So that's kind of the mindset that I've had.”
Three-Year Outlook: Seahawks in Great Shape for Present, Future Offensively
As the calendar flips to April and the 2026 NFL Draft rapidly approaches, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves in the heat of the offseason, continuing to look into ways to improve their roster scanning the free agent market along with wrapping up draft evaluations while also exploring extensions to retain several of their top players.
While building the best roster for the upcoming season remains the top goal with eyes on defending their Super Bowl title, Seahawks general manager John Schneider also has to be cognizant of the future, making every decision in regard to free agency, extensions, and the draft with a multi-year window in mind.
Now less than a month away from the draft, how does Seattle’s offense look for both the present and the future?
AJ Barner Takes Star Turn as Perfect ‘Seahawks’ Tight End
The Seattle Seahawks certainly have come a long way since the Jimmy Graham trade.
Many 12s see that trade, made in March of 2015, as the beginning of the end of the Legion of Boom era. Where the Seahawks got away from who they truly were and chased shiny objects instead. While Graham wasn’t necessarily bad in Seattle (he is Seattle’s franchise leader in receiving yards and touchdowns for a tight end), it certainly marked a period where they lacked a true identity.
That identity is back. Hard-nosed, physical football lead by defense and selfless play.
AJ Barner is a fantastic posterchild for what the 2025 Seahawks stood for.
Five Distinct Advantages the Seahawks Have in Super Bowl LX
The Seahawks have one more game remaining, the much-awaited rematch against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Nothing is certain until the downs are played, but what are the Hawks’ key advantages going into the Big Game?
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is Headliner of Seahawks’ Passing Attack, Not the Whole Act
Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL in receiving yards despite playing in an offense that ranked middle of the pack in pass attempts in 2025. But that doesn’t mean this offense is a one-trick pony going into Super Bowl LX.
‘Job is Not Done’: Seahawks’ Vets Preaching Same Approach for Youthful Squad Entering Playoffs
One of the youngest teams in the NFL, the Seahawks’ youth could be viewed as a potential concern going into a win or go home Divisional Round rematch against the 49ers. But a strong core of veterans doesn’t envision that being a problem at an energized Lumen Field.
Top-Seeded Seahawks’ Ground Attack Coming Alive at Perfect Time
Keying the franchise’s quick ascent to Super Bowl contender, after a slow start in Klint Kubiak’s offense early in the fall, Ken Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and a rapidly improving offensive line have the Seahawks armed and ready to make noise in January.
Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Relegate 49ers’ Offense Punch-less, Win NFC West With 13-3 Victory
Despite not capitalizing on a couple of promising drives with any points, the Seahawks had plenty of margin for error on the way to an NFC West title as a suffocating defense put on a clinic shutting down the 49ers. How did Seattle get it done at Levis Stadium?
Comparing Rivals: How Do Seahawks, 49ers’ Offenses Stack Up Against Each Other?
Orchestrating similar, yet not identical offensive schemes, the Seahawks and 49ers have been among the NFL’s best at putting points on the board in 2025. Which team has the edge at each offensive position group heading into the NFC West title game on Saturday?
Report Card: Top Performers in Seahawks’ 27-10 Road Win Over Panthers
Turnovers and clutch plays fueled a second half surge that led the Seahawks past the Panthers in Charlotte, keeping Mike Macdonald’s squad atop the NFC standings. Who shined brightest in Seattle’s sixth straight win?
It’s Time To Recognize Seahawks’ AJ Barner as NFL’s Most Underrated Tight End
While he may not be a household name just yet, the Seahawks have found themselves a budding star at the tight end position in AJ Barner at the perfect time in the perfect offense.
Third Down Mastery Helps Seahawks Tame Panthers, Puts Team on Brink of NFC’s Top Seed
Far from clicking on all cylinders, at least on offense, the Seahawks found yet another way to earn an NFL win on Sunday by dominating on money downs, maintaining their spot as the NFC’s top seed with a week to play.
Rapid Reaction: Run Game, Stifling Defense Leads Seahawks to 27-10 Win in Carolina
Playing physical, downhill football and leaning on a rising star tight end, the Seahawks turned the page on a sloppy first half to pull away from the Panthers in the second half, once again dominating on defense to get to win No. 13 and stay atop the NFC standings.
Resilient Seahawks Flex Skill Position Talent in Improbable Comeback to Stun Rams in OT
Backs against the wall and on the wrong side of a 30-7 scoring run by the Rams, the Seahawks had every reason to fold on Thursday night. But impressive distribution to all of their playmakers down the stretch paved the way for a historic comeback to clinch a playoff spot.
‘We Got to Do Better Job’: Seahawks’ Slumping Offense Remains Concern Despite Win vs. Colts
For just the fourth time in franchise history, the Seahawks willed themselves to a win on Sunday despite failing to score an offensive touchdown. But the victory may have created more questions than answers for an offense that has been bogged down for a month.
Comparing Rivals: How Do Seahawks, Rams’ Offenses Stack Up Against Each Other?
Racing out to 7-2 starts, the Seahawks and Rams have put a ton of points on the board behind their star quarterbacks, talented receiving corps, and improved offensive lines. Where does each team hold an edge going into Sunday’s first matchup at SoFi Stadium?
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