Analysis: Observations From Seahawks’ 2026 Football Fan Fest
Taking the next step towards their upcoming regular season opener against the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks welcomed fans back to Lumen Field for their annual Football Fan Fest practice on Saturday.
As they have done each of the previous two years with coach Mike Macdonald at the helm, Seattle held a full-fledged padded practice rather than a glorified scrimmage, mixing in plenty of individual drills, competitive 1-on-1 reps, and special teams time before implementing situational 11-on-11 team sessions. Crediting the 12s for showing up even with the Mariners playing next door, Macdonald felt pleased with the work his team got done in what amounted to a roughly 100-minute practice.
I really appreciate the effort that everybody took to get out. Thank you,” Macdonald said. “Having a lot of enthusiasm, just really felt the love from the 12s today. So that was really great. And then in addition to that, I think we got some really good work in. It wasn't the longest practice of all time, but we got some good stuff in, and we'll be ready to go next Saturday.”
What stood out at Seattle’s annual Fan Fest?
Camp Takeaways: Cooper Kupp, Seahawks ‘Sharpen Iron’ in Competitive Back-and-Forth 12th Practice
Throughout the constant ebbs and flows of an NFL training camp, most practices offer a clear winner between the offense and defense.
But on Friday morning, for those in attendance at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center taking in the Seattle Seahawks’ 12th practice and penultimate session open to fans, trying to determine a “winner” proved to be far more challenging with a balanced, back-and-forth effort featuring a blend of big plays on offense and turnovers generated on defense.
“Competition, that’s what these practices mean, especially at this time of camp,” receiver Rashid Shaheed told reporters moments after practice concluded. “With all the installs coming in, now it’s just about execution, going out and playing football. When we have a great offense and a great defense, we are going to see some back and forth and push. It’s just going to get us better at the end.”
What stood out from Seattle’s hyper-competitive 12th practice of the summer?
Camp Takeaways: Big Plays Galore as Sam Darnold, Seahawks Torch Skies in Eighth Practice
Smoke descending upon the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Monday afternoon came from the unfortunate Spokane fires raging on the other side of the state, with expectations air quality will continue to worsen over the next few days.
But putting the true serious nature of the flames in Eastern Washington aside, with Sam Darnold and company lighting up the skies all afternoon, an observer wouldn’t have been off basis for blaming a scorching hot passing game as the culprit for the increasingly hazy conditions in the Seattle Seahawks’ eighth training camp practice.
Coming out firing on all cylinders early in Monday’s session, Darnold zipped a 20-yard bullet to Cooper Kupp on his first throw against Seattle’s No. 1 defense, soon connecting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 50-yard touchdown after he came loose working against Nehemiah Pritchett with a subtle push off at the top of the route. On the next series, he ripped a 20-yard completion to Tory Horton on a post route between two tightly converging defenders and then hit Kupp on a 25-yard in-breaking route in a three-play span.
Continuing to find success over the top against the normally stingy Seahawks defense in the next situational team drill, Darnold executed a play fake from under center and promptly set his back foot before launching a bomb down the middle of the field. Flying past rookie cornerback Michael Dansby and rookie safety Bud Clark on a skinny post, speedy receiver Rashid Shaheed had the pass land in his hands in strides for six points on a 55-yard touchdown reception.
Camp Takeaways: Running Backs to Take on Bigger Role in Seahawks’ Passing Game Under Brian Fleury
On the way to the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks put up sizzling offensive numbers, including setting a new single season record for points scored and finishing eighth in the league in passing yards.
Leading the charge, Jaxon Smith-Njigba recorded 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns, joining Shaun Alexander as the second Seahawk to win Offensive Player of the Year honors. Away from the rising superstar, Sam Darnold had plenty of other capable weapons at his disposal, including Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, and standout tight end AJ Barner.
But for as much success as Seattle had attacking opponents through the air last season with former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak calling plays, the team managed to do so without relying much on running backs as receivers. Contrasting from Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco, the Seahawks finished 31st in targets (63) and 28th in catches (53) without a single touchdown reception from running backs in 2025, only utilizing former starter Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet sparingly in that fashion.
With a new play caller in Brian Fleury now at the wheel replacing the departed Kubiak, however, as Bob Dylan once wrote, the times they are a-changing in the Pacific Northwest.
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?
Where's the Respect? Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Deserves Better Than Constantly Moving the Goalposts
It’s human nature. Sometimes, we make a decision early on about something and can be virtually immovable in that opinion regardless of which direction the winds of change blow, or how hard. It’s called pride. We all have it. We are slow to admit we are wrong and look for any shred of evidence to prove our premature declarations correct, folly or not.
When the Seattle Seahawks signed Sam Darnold last offseason, he still had the stink of a disappointing first six seasons on him. That was even after a breakout 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings that saw him at the helm of a 14-3 football team when he produced just over 4,300 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. Pundits quickly discredited that redemption arc after a clunker of a playoff game, when the Vikings lost to the Rams 27-9 in the NFC Wild Card Round. Darnold threw one interception, lost a fumble, and was sacked nine times. That was the last time we saw Darnold before signing with Seattle and the media did not forgive him.
Fast forward 12 months from then. Darnold doubled down with yet another 14-3 regular season paired with another 4,000-yard season with 25 passing scores. The national media waved it off as another mirage in the vast Darnold Desert. Then the playoffs started. Even with just 12 completions and 124 passing yards in the Divisional Round against the 49ers, he was efficient and mistake-free with zero turnover-worthy plays. Still, many claimed, “the defense carried him!” or “Ken Walker did all the work!”
“Just wait for the NFC Championship Game against the presumed MVP Matthew Stafford,” they shouted in mass on social media.
Can Seahawks Offense Replicate Last Season’s Fireworks?
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, the Seattle Seahawks are spending the summer scheming ways to defend their Super Bowl title. While the nation indulges on hot dogs, potato salad, and rocket pops, the reigning champions will dive into preparing for a new season with a new offensive coordinator in Brian Fleury.
The magic that previous offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and quarterback Sam Darnold created together will be tough to match. It seemed like the offense was a weekly firework show of sorts. Seattle ranked third in scoring and fourth in yards per play in 2025. Of that firework show, the biggest mortars set off were downfield shots to Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Can Darnold and his top receiver recreate that magic with a new scheme and new voice in the headset for 2026?
A Decade With Sam Darnold For Seahawks? One Hall of Fame QB Thinks So
Years from now, many will look back on the offseason where the Seattle Seahawks moved on from Geno Smith and signed free agent Sam Darnold to a three-year deal as one of the most gutsy and pendulum-swinging moves in NFL history. Seattle already had a solid roster and the right head coach in place. Smith had a few good seasons in Seattle but the Seahawks needed a new level of quarterback play.
Darnold had just finished a stellar 14-3 season with the Vikings, experiencing a career renaissance under head coach Kevin O’Connell. Unfortunately, things ended abruptly with an ugly playoff loss. Many thought that wherever Darnold went, it wouldn’t be as good as he had it in Minnesota with the offensive guru at head coach and all-world receiver Justin Jefferson at the other end of his throws.
Fast forward to this offseason. After just one year in Seattle, Darnold will never have to buy a drink in the Emerald City ever again. He is the toast of the town. He was named to his second straight Pro Bowl but more importantly, he once again went 14-3 as a starter. This time, he busted those ghosts in the playoffs. He was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the entire postseason, including going blow-for-blow with the league MVP Matthew Stafford in the NFC Championship Game.
WATCH: Defense Dominates Red Zone-Heavy Day 3 of Seahawks Minicamp
Bringing the offseason program to an end and ushering in summer break before training camp, Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith breaks down what he saw and heard at the Seahawks' third and final mandatory minicamp practice, including an opportunistic defense racking up interceptions and pick sixes in a high energy session at the VMAC.
Seahawks Minicamp Takeaways: Nick Emmanwori Adding New Wrinkle, Zach Charbonnet Progresses
Launching the final phase of their offseason program, the Seattle Seahawks kicked off mandatory minicamp on Tuesday with the vast majority of players on the field, including the return of veterans Demarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams.
What stood out of from Day 1 of Seattle’s annual three-day minicamp? Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s session at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center:
1. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba steering towards midseason form in the final week of the offseason program.
Crazily enough, Darnold and Smith-Njigba turned in a historic 2025 season combining to link up for over 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns with limited practice time, as the two had never played together prior to hitting the field for the first time last April. But they developed outstanding chemistry seemingly overnight with the quarterback and receiver lighting it up throughout the offseason program and training camp before leading the charge for a top-five scoring offense on the way to a Super Bowl victory.
On the heels of that immense success, Smith-Njigba had some bad news for opponents on Tuesday, sending a message on the field and at the podium that the two stars expect to be even more in sync in their second season in tandem. After a somewhat quiet trio of OTA practices, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year jumped back into dominant form, starting with a nifty 20-yard catch on a quick out route where he managed to beat the quarter-quarter side of a Cover 6 look outside to make the catch before the outside cornerback could even blink, setting up a Jason Myers field goal in a two-minute drill situation.
Takeaways: Sam Darnold, Rashid Shaheed Connection Blossoming at Seahawks OTAs
Nearing the midway point of Phase 3 of their offseason program as the 2026 season draws closer, the Seattle Seahawks returned to the practice field for the second of three OTA practices open to media on Wednesday.
What stood out at the VMAC? Starting with an encouraging development for Seattle’s passing attack, here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s session:
1. The Sam Darnold to Rashid Shaheed connection appears to have been upgraded in their first full offseason together.
Coming over from the Saints in the latest trade deadline steal orchestrated by John Schneider, Shaheed left his imprint on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run functioning as special teams dynamite, returning two kickoffs and a punt for touchdowns, including a kick return for six points on the opening play of a Divisional Round blowout of the 49ers. But as a pass catcher, he didn’t have near as much success as fans may have hoped, struggling to emerge as a consistent weapon complementing Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba with just 15 catches for 188 yards and no touchdowns in nine regular season games.
Stock Watch: Examining Seahawks Post-Draft Winners, Losers
Now more than a week removed from the 2026 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have gotten a first look at their newest draft class via rookie minicamp, and the offseason program will soon kick into full overdrive with Phase 2 opening next week.
At this point, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider haven’t gotten to see first-round pick Jadarian Price and the rest of the 2026 class on the field with returning veterans from their Super Bowl LX-winning squad. But that will soon change as on-field workouts ramp up to the next step and Organized Team Activities (OTAs) eventually open on May 26, providing the rookies with a chance to start gunning for starting jobs and roster spots.
With rookies soon to be thrown into the fire battling against seasoned veterans, which returning players and coaches stood out as the biggest winners coming out of the NFL Draft for the Seahawks? And who needs to keep a focused eye on their rearview mirror with objects being closer than they appear?
Analysis: Ranking Seahawks’ Positional Groups by Long-Term Stability
The Seattle Seahawks are fresh off the ultimate high, hoisting a Super Bowl trophy. But, even championship rosters come with expiration dates. As Seattle turns the page toward the 2026 season and beyond, the question isn’t just how good this team is right now, but how sustainable that success will be.
From looming free agents to aging veterans and thin positional depth, some areas of the roster are far more secure than others. With that in mind, here’s a full ranking of every position group on the Seahawks, ordered by how stable their future truly is.
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?
Top 12 Moments From Seahawks’ Super Bowl-Winning 2025 Season
The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl LX champions! Yes, keep saying that to yourself. Anytime you are feeling down, sad, anxious, or just plain bored, look at that photo of Mike Macdonald and Sam Darnold staring into the reflection of the Lombardi Trophy and feel all your troubles melt away.
As is the nature of the NFL, it rolls on like a fierce locomotive, not caring whether or not you want to pause a moment to smell the roses (or the yellow Gatorade). Free agency is less than a month away. The NFL Combine is even sooner. The NFL Draft is just over two months away.
One last time, let’s look back, instead of forward. These are 12 top moments of the 2025 season, that happened before the Seahawks lifted the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara.
‘We Ain’t Going Nowhere’: Seahawks Already Planting Seeds in Quest for Super Bowl Repeat
Less than 72 hours after navy and action green confetti fluttered to the turf at Levis Stadium following a 29-13 demolition of the New England Patriots, while the Seattle Seahawks celebrated their second Super Bowl title with a frenzied fan base both at Lumen Field and during a parade in downtown on Wednesday, they already have their sights set on doing it again next season.
Wearing a t-shirt depicting teammate Sam Darnold smoking a cigar and once again singing effusive, explicit praise about Seattle’s quarterback from the podium with a sparkling Lombardi Trophy in hand, Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones made sure to remind fans and the rest of the league that the team “ain’t going nowhere.”
"Not only do we have the best defense in the world, we've got the best team in the world," Jones said, “And quite frankly, if you've got anything to say about my quarterback, if you've got anything to say about my defense, if you've got anything to say about our O-line, if you've got anything to say about the city of Seattle, I've got two words for you: F--- you.”
Sam Darnold Completes Redemption Arc as Seahawks Secure Super Bowl Title
Sam Darnold, Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
A few years ago, the phrase sounded absurd. Once considered a draft bust in the city where quarterbacks never seem to succeed, Darnold felt blue and green confetti rain down on his red hair on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, where his Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 to win Super Bowl LX.
Rapid Reaction: Seahawks ‘Darkside’ Defense Handcuffs Patriots in 29-13 Super Bowl LX Victory
Orchestrating one of the most dominant defensive performances in Super Bowl history, the Seattle Seahawks forced eight punts on their first nine defensive series, locking down the New England Patriots in historic fashion to secure a 29-13 victory and bring the second Lombardi Trophy to the Pacific Northwest.
Overcoming an uncharacteristically inaccurate performance from Sam Darnold, the Seahawks found more than enough offense behind AJ Barner’s 16-yard touchdown catch off a turnover, Ken Walker III’s 135 rushing yards, and five field goals from kicker Jason Myers. A suffocating defensive effort by coach Mike Macdonald’s squad bottled up and frazzled Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, with outside linebacker Derick Hall leading the charge sacking him twice and forcing a fumble that defensive tackle Byron Murphy II recovered in New England territory and Uchenna Nwosu returning an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to start the celebration.
Halftime Observations: Defenses Dominate as Seahawks Lead Patriots 9-0 in Super Bowl LX
With the Lombardi Trophy hanging in the balance, points will apparently be at a premium in Super Bowl LX as the Seattle Seahawks went into halftime nursing a slim 9-0 lead over the New England Patriots behind three Jason Myers field goals and a stingy, suffocating defensive effort.
What stood out from the first two quarters at Levis Stadium?
1. Ken Walker III runs like a Lamborghini on the Levis grass, but the Seahawks can’t get the car into the garage.
Playing in what could be his final game in a Seahawks uniform as free agency approaches next month, a motivated Walker revved up his engine and turned on the accelerators early and often, regularly leaving Patriots defenders in his wake after smooth, explosive cuts and filthy jump cut moves. On the first play from scrimmage, he bounced an inside zone run out wide to the perimeter, out-running multiple defenders towards the sideline before cutting upfield for a 10-yard gain to move the chains, helping start off a successful opening series that ended with Myers’ first field goal from 33 yards out.
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