‘Mr. Clutch’: Drew Lock Delivers Again in Prime Time, Outduels Drake Maye in Seahawks Season-Opening Win
Once the preseason comes to a close and the calendar flips to September, Drew Lock knows all too well the reality of being an NFL backup quarterback. After months of receiving ample snaps rotating behind Sam Darnold, with the start of regular season games, those opportunities dry up to next to nothing with the starter getting the lion’s share of snaps for the Seattle Seahawks.
Relegated to scout team duty or watching from the sideline, staying prepared for the possibility of having to actually play on game day can be incredibly tricky. There’s no such thing as being able to replace or replicate live reps on the field, but yet, that’s exactly what backups such as Lock have to try to accomplish with limited practice time being fully dedicated to the starters. There’s no proven, scientific formula to do so, with each backup having his own routine during a game week to remain ready if his number is called.
But now in his eighth season, after leading the Seahawks to a thrilling 13-10 comeback win over the Patriots replacing an injured Darnold in the first quarter on Wednesday night, Lock seems to have found the right recipe in Seattle. His secret? Well, it starts and ends in the bedroom - with a dry erase marker and a whiteboard - for the player defensive tackle Jarran Reed calls “Mr. Clutch.”
“I've got one next to my bed. I'll do it at night and I'll do it in the morning,” Lock explained to reporters after the game. “That's just been my thing, being able to visualize it so when I read it out it's just there in my head. Because of the lack of reps you don't get to physically do it. I got to be able to draw it from somewhere, no pun intended, and drawing it helps me draw it from somewhere.”
Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Rally Behind Drew Lock, Intercept Way Past Patriots for 13-10 Win
SEATTLE, Wash. - Overcoming an early injury that knocked Sam Darnold out of action, the Seattle Seahawks roared back from a 10-point second half deficit to open the 2026 season with a 13-10 win over the New England Patriots.
Filling in admirably for Darnold, Drew Lock outplayed Drake Maye, completing 16 out of 22 passes for 187 yards and a 45-yard touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished with 122 receiving yards to kick off the new year. The trio of Julian Love, Nehemiah Pritchett, and Josh Jobe recorded fourth quarter interceptions, with the latter picking off Maye in the end zone to ice the game inside 30 seconds to play.
Diving into a wild, adversity-filled opener, here are five takeaways from a big-time win in a Super Bowl LX rematch at Lumen Field:
1. Despite Darnold scare and a slow start for the backup, Lock comes up clutch again in relief.
On the path to a Lombardi Trophy a year ago, Seattle had relatively positive fortunes on the injury front. But only a few minutes into Wednesday’s opener, that luck got twisted upside down in a heartbeat, sending a frenzied crowd into a silenced panic. Sacked by Dre’Mont Jones on third down to end the opening series, Darnold gingerly jogged off, trying to shake off the discomfort as he headed to the sideline. Only a few minutes later, he spent a brief spell in the blue injury tent before hobbling to the locker room, sending Lock in for sub duty.
Sam Darnold Exits Seahawks Opener, Ruled Out With Hip Injury
Bringing a worst case scenario to life for the Seattle Seahawks as they begin their Super Bowl title defense, Sam Darnold exited the field after just one series in Wednesday’s season opener against the New England Patriots with a hip injury.
Replacing Darnold just one drive into the opener, Drew Lock took over at the 7:29 mark after the Seahawks’ defense forced a punt on their opening series.
After his first pass went for 13 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Darnold uncorked an ugly incompletion and then found himself under duress on the ensuing third down. He managed to escape the initial blitzer with his eyes still scanning downfield, but as he tried to move to his left, he was dragged down by veteran defensive end Dre’Mont Jones for a drive-ending sack.
Key Matchups to Watch as Seahawks Battle Patriots in Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch
Finally beginning their march to “run it forward” after winning Super Bowl LX in February, the Seattle Seahawks will open their title defense against the same New England Patriots that they defeated in Santa Clara in a statement Week 1 Wednesday night battle at Lumen Field.
While both teams return many of the same players who played in that matchup seven months ago, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald understands that his team can’t put too much stock into what worked that night in an always unpredictable opener, especially with the changes that the Patriots have made to improve their roster over the course of the offseason.
“First game of the year is a little tricky,” Macdonald said on Saturday. “You don’t want to fall in the trap of applying last year’s things you see too much to what’s going to happen this year. Teams grow and evolve and change and there’s different personnel on both sides. Our focus is trying to do the things that we do that our guys can go play the best they can and also try to apply as much pressure as you can as well but understanding how the game goes, there’s going to be some things that we’re going to be required to make adjustments in game.”
With the Seahawks looking to start off with a win and the Patriots seeking redemption in prime time, which matchups will dictate which reigning conference champion grabs a marquee season opening victory?
Super Bowl LX Redux: What’s Changed for Seahawks and Patriots?
The Seahawks and Patriots are set for the Super Bowl LX rematch in Seattle on Wednesday night. The Super Bowl championship banner will be raised at Lumen Field and then the two defending conference champions will do battle to kick off the 2026 regular season. The Seahawks punished the Patriots to the tune of a 29-13 victory that certainly could’ve been more lopsided.
A lot can change in an NFL offseason. The draft, free agency, and trades always create roster turnover for all 32 teams year after year. Even though these two squads were the last ones standing last season and now are kicking off the new year, much has changed. Let’s start with what is the same.
What is the Same?
The two teams return both their head coach and starting quarterback from Super Bowl LX. Drake Maye finished as the NFL MVP runner-up last year. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is still calling plays with running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. A large chunk the offensive line returns, with a few notable additions.
Sam Darnold is still slinging it to the same bevy of weapons he had late last year, including reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, and AJ Barner. Most notably, Seattle returns all five of their starters along the offensive line.
Analysis: Expect Multiplicity as Seahawks Try to Replace Nick Emmanwori in Season Opener
Now just two days away from their season opener, while the team will not make final designations until Tuesday, the odds of Nick Emmanwori being available for the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday night remain iffy at best.
Emmanwori, who underwent ankle surgery days before the start of training camp, has been gradually ramping up activity on the field since being activated from the PUP list in mid-August. This week, he has taken another positive step forward practicing with a helmet on and partaking in more individual drills, but that may not be enough to warrant rushing him back into the lineup for the opener.
Still, as expected given the fact the team doesn’t have to announce anything until Tuesday, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald kept the door open with a coy response on Emmanwori’s status after Monday’s practice.
“Nick had his most work over the last couple of days, looks great, and he practiced limited today,” Macdonald said with a subtle smirk on his face, providing a minimal update.
Until Emmanwori has been officially ruled out, there’s always an outside shot that the second-year safety manages to suit up for Seattle. But with him still not practicing in full after missing all of training camp and the preseason, signs continue to point to the team being cautious with a long season ahead, hoping to potentially have him return in Week 2 against the Cardinals when he has had another full week of practice under his belt.
‘Let ‘Er Rip’: Brian Fleury Inspiring Confidence Entering Seahawks’ - and NFL - Play-Calling Debut
Now in his third season as head coach for the Seattle Seahawks, Mike Macdonald still has the same butterflies going into the season opener as he did when he first received the opportunity to call plays at Michigan five years ago.
Whether it can be chalked up as nerves, anxiety, excitement, or a cocktail of all three, Macdonald sees those emotions all as a natural part of the equation being a football coach and kicking off a new season. From that standpoint, as Brian Fleury prepares to call plays in a regular season game for the first time, he expects the Seahawks new offensive coordinator to experience an array of such feelings when they take on the Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday.
Not seeing that blend of fervor and apprehension as necessarily a negative thing, leaning on his own play calling debut as guidance, Macdonald would advise Fleury to embrace those emotions as they come, be confident in the process and trust the work he has put in leading up to this point, and quickly remind himself that at the end of the day, Wednesday is just another football game.
“Like with the rest of our players, [it’s about] trusting our training, trusting the preparation,” Macdonald said about Fleury’s impending debut as coordinator prior to Saturday’s practice. “I still do that. You’re always going to feel there’s whatever; is it anxiety, is it excitement? Those things are natural, it means you care, it means it matters to you. I hope our players feel that. When you do have those feelings, understand like, ‘Hey, we’re still playing a football game that we’ve prepared for and take a deep breath and go let ‘er rip and let’s rock and roll.’”
Seahawks Prepping for ‘Guessing Game' Facing Overhauled Patriots in Super Bowl Rematch
Playing the same opponent to end one season and open another isn’t completely unprecedented in the NFL, particularly in the event that the two teams who played in the previous Super Bowl just happen to have a rare out of conference matchup slated for the following regular season.
Still, when the Seattle Seahawks kick off their Super Bowl title defense against the New England Patriots, the “same” opponent that they defeated to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara back in February, there’s no question there will be some oddities to the rematch seven months and a full offseason in the making. Beyond playing on a Wednesday night, which has only happened five times previously in league history, including twice on Christmas, the two squads will have some notable differences personnel-wise, particularly for the visitors flying in from Foxboro.
Settling into his first game planning week of the season, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald likes the “change of pace” away from the vanilla days of the preseason in August and has certainly gone back to watch Super Bowl LX as a means for preparation for the Patriots, but he understands the unpredictable nature that always comes with season openers regardless of familiarity with opponent. No matter what, there inevitably will be developments in the game that his staff and players haven’t prepared for and need to audible on accordingly.
“First game of the year is a little tricky,” Macdonald said prior to Saturday’s practice, which replaced the typical Wednesday practice to open a game week given the unique Week 1 schedule. “You don’t want to fall in the trap of applying last year’s things you see too much to what’s going to happen this year. Teams grow and evolve and change and there’s different personnel on both sides. Our focus is trying to do the things that we do that our guys can go play the best they can and also try to apply as much pressure as you can as well but understanding how the game goes, there’s going to be some things that we’re going to be required to make adjustments in game.”
‘Surprised’ Avery Smith Excited to Join Seahawks, Carve Out Role With Defending Champs
Hours before the NFL’s roster cutdown deadline arrived, Avery Smith found himself in the same position as the vast majority of undrafted rookies around the league, restlessly sitting on pins and needles hanging onto hopes of making the Los Angeles Chargers’ 53-man roster.
But Smith’s short NFL journey took an unexpected, rare detour. Rather than being informed by the Chargers that he had made the team or been cut, the former Toledo standout learned that fate had entirely different plans, taking him to the Pacific Northwest as a member of the Seahawks, indeed making a 53-man roster but with a different team than the one he had suited up for since early May.
After scrambling to gather his belongings and embark on the trip north to the Emerald City in a matter of days, Smith’s whirlwind of a week led to him donning a No. 27 uniform in his first practice as a Seahawk on Thursday, still plenty shocked to be in his new surroundings.
“I follow football, and I haven’t really heard of an undrafted free agent getting traded before the regular season,” Smith said, expressing his excitement for joining the Seahawks amid the unexpected. “So that is what surprised me.”
PODCAST: Title Defense Begins as Seahawks Ramp Up Prep for Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch
Winning the Super Bowl is, well, a difficult feat to achieve, and as the Seattle Seahawks try to become just the ninth team ever to repeat in NFL history, the climb from the bottom of the mountain will soon begin with a rematch against the Patriots at Lumen Field.
Seahawks Triple Option hosts Robert Turbin, Corbin Smith, and Rob Rang share their unique perspectives on the challenges that come with being a defending champion and assess how prepared Mike Macdonald's squad is to wear the target on their back seven months after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, dish out their roster superlatives on a number of 53-man and practice squad related scenarios, including biggest surprise and most likely to be "Wally Pipped," and break down New England's offseason changes on the offensive side of the football and how improvements could make life tougher for Seattle in a Week 1 rematch.
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Sale Finalized: Introducing the Khoslas, Seahawks New Ownership Group
Ushering in a new era for the franchise, one week after unanimous approval by NFL owners to take the torch from the Allen estate, the Seattle Seahawks announced on Thursday that the sale to the Khosla family has been finalized, making them controlling owners of the team.
With the sale now executed, Vinod Kholsa - founder of Khosla Ventures - will take over as Seattle’s new Chair, while his wife Neeru Khosla will be Controlling Owner and President of the Seahawks Charitable Foundation and son Neal Khosla will serve as Vice Chair.
"We are honored and excited to begin this next chapter,” Vinod Khosla said through a statement on the team’s website. “The Seahawks are known for their championship culture, winning football, and a deep connection to the 12s and the Pacific Northwest. We look forward to engaging with the Seattle community and building upon the legacy and traditions that make this franchise so special. We would like to extend our gratitude to the investors joining our ownership group and to everyone who has supported us throughout the sale process."
WATCH: Behind Untested Jadarian Price, Is Seahawks Run Game Regular Season Ready?
Losing the Super Bowl MVP Ken Walker III in free agency, the state of the run game may be the Seahawks' biggest question mark as they prepare to defend their Super Bowl title.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith revisits Seattle's crazy rushing splits from the first to second half last season and examines how concerned fans should be about the team having similar issues early in the 2026 season with a new stable of backs led by rookie Jadarian Price and a new offensive coordinator in Brian Fleury calling plays.
Seahawks Star Leonard Williams Somehow Still NFL’s Most Disrespected Player
The nature of being a “12” is that of feeling consistently overlooked and underappreciated. Seattle isn’t the same media market darling like L.A., the Bay Area, or New York. The Seahawks don’t have the glitz and glamour of the Cowboys or the ironclad history of the Steelers.
What the Seahawks do have, however, is a franchise that has won two Super Bowls inside of 15 years and one of the loudest, most passionate fanbases in all of sports. Just like its fans, the Seahawks themselves have players that are consistently overlooked, underappreciated, and unheralded despite being among the best at their respective positions.
Lenard Williams has the résumé of a star and the recognition of a complementary piece. Part of the problem is the position itself and how we measure it. Interior defenders who do not pile up double-digit sacks every year get treated as role players even when they occupy two blockers and free everyone else. Even that description is disrespectful to what Williams means to Seattle’s now famous “Dark Side” defense.
WATCH: Why Seahawks Traded for Avery Smith, How Rookie Corner Fits Into Secondary Plans
Continuing to shuffle the deck in their cornerback room heading towards the start of the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks shipped a 2027 sixth round pick to the Chargers for Avery Smith as they trimmed the roster down to 53 players.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith examines why Seattle felt compelled to deal a draft pick for an undrafted rookie cornerback in Smith, where his strengths lie as he joins an evolving secondary, and how the ex-Toledo standout could potentially make an early impact on defense and/or special teams.
Noah Igbinoghene Among Several Ex-Seahawks to Land With New Teams
While the NFL institutes a hard deadline for teams to get their rosters down to 53 players after the conclusion of the preseason, the churning of rosters across the league continues for several days leading up to Week 1.
For Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider, making as many transactions as possible post-cutdown day has been a source of pride for the organization, as he believes it to be an integral part of building the best roster and practice squad possible. As rules have changed, so has the strategy for the reigning Executive of the Year, including leaning in on the ability to place as many as six vested veterans with four or more years of experience on the practice squad, allowing the team to protect more of their talented young players from the waiver wire as a result.
On that front, the Seahawks terminated the contracts of eight veterans as part of Sunday’s roster bludgeoning, including cornerback Trevon Diggs, safety D’Anthony Bell, and running back Velus Jones Jr., hoping to retain as many of those players who weren’t exposed to waivers as possible either on the practice squad or re-signing to the active roster.
“Having the six veterans on the practice squad has enabled us to not expose certain players to the waiver wire. And yeah, it's a strategy for the initial 53 cut,” Schneider explained after Sunday’s initial cuts. “And then as well as what we're going to look like in the middle of October and then trying to be as strong as we possibly can and as deep as we possibly can with a combination of older and younger players down the stretch, end of November, December, January, hopefully February.”
Seahawks Sign Trevon Diggs, 16 Others to Practice Squad
Nearly 24 hours after tabbing their initial 53-man roster for the upcoming start of the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks brought back several familiar faces as part of a 17-player practice squad on Monday, including veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs and four of their 2026 draft picks.
Diggs, a former First-Team All-Pro who signed with Seattle in mid-August, made his team debut in the preseason finale at Kansas City on August 28 and recorded an interception on the second drive of the game. But with only a handful of practices under his belt, the Seahawks terminated his contract as a vested veteran as part of cutdown day moves, with general manager John Schneider indicating that the organization had a plan in place to continue getting the former Alabama star fully up to speed and expected him to return in quick order as a member of the practice squad.
“He came in a little bit late and he's kind of just getting going,” Schneider said of Diggs on Sunday at the VMAC. “He's just kind of just getting ramped up, as you saw the other night, just getting his legs under him. But he feels he's confident and we're excited to get him going and see how far he can take this thing. He's really bought into like the culture and the guys and the staff and Karl [Scott] and Neiko [Thorpe] and those guys. So it's been pretty cool to see.”
Cutdown Takeaways: Montorie Foster Jr. Among Seahawks to Earn Spot on Initial 53-Man Roster
Fielding questions at the podium mere minutes after the Seattle Seahawks announced their final roster cuts on Sunday, general manager John Schneider caught himself mid-answer and hesitated for a split second.
In the midst of discussing second-year receiver Montorie Foster Jr.’s surprising ascendance to earn a place on the final 53-man roster, Schneider decided to choose his words more carefully, not wanting to live in absolutes thinking back to the many players who have come and gone through Seattle’s facility since his arrival in 2010. But after a moment to gather his thoughts, he wielded the type of praise worthy of the former Michigan State standout’s unexpected rise this summer during training camp and the preseason, comparing his performance to the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.
“I've never seen a player - I don't know how I say that. It's hard to remember a player at the receiver position that's improved as quickly as he has,” Schneider gushed. “I told Jax [Smith-Njigba], I felt like he like just took his film and just completely studied it or just followed him around for all spring or something.”
This time a year ago, Foster found himself back in Ohio without a team after the Seahawks released him with an injury designation early in his first training camp, preparing to begin substitute teaching at a nearby high school and not anywhere close to being in the same breath as Smith-Njigba or any other receiver for that matter. While he continued to train in preparation for his next opportunity, he also applied for a real estate license, doing his due diligence readying for life after football even as he remained confident he would get another shot between the lines.
Sure enough, the Seahawks came calling in late December, offering Foster a spot on the practice squad. He quickly hopped on a flight to Seattle, spending the last two weeks of the regular season and the entirety of the team’s historic playoff run on what coach Mike Macdonald calls the “ready” squad, earning a Super Bowl ring and a future/reserve deal days later.
Analysis: Breaking Down Seahawks’ Reported Roster Cuts, Cutdown Day Moves
Moving one step closer to their season opener against the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks will trim their roster down to the NFL-mandated 53 players by 3 PM PT on Sunday.
Needing to move 37 players off of the roster, most of these moves will come through cuts and terminated contracts for vested veterans with at least four years of accrued NFL service time, but Seahawks general manager John Schneider has a history of swinging trades leading up to the cutdown deadline. Seattle also could place up to two players on injured reserve without them counting against the 53-man limit who would be eligible to return after missing a minimum of four games, creating another mechanism to utilize as a means for retaining players.
As the Seahawks execute tough decisions on who to keep and who to let go as they build their initial 53-man roster, I will be breaking down every reported move leading up to Sunday’s deadline.
WATCH: Seahawks Make Signing of Embattled CB Terrion Arnold Official
Two weeks after reportedly agreeing to terms with the former Alabama star on a contract, the Seattle Seahawks have finally inked third-year cornerback Terrion Arnold, though it could be quite some time before he actually sees the field with his new team.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith dives into the latest on the Arnold saga as the former first round pick will land on the Commissioner's Exempt List immediately upon signing, discusses when he may potentially be available to practice or play for Seattle down the line as he deals with legal proceedings in Florida due to eight felony charges, and breaks down difficult cornerback decisions looming at cutdown day even without Arnold being eligible right now.
Final Projection: Who Makes Seahawks 53-Man Roster as Super Bowl Rematch Looms?
Finishing off the preseason with a 9-9 tie against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks can now shift their attention towards beginning their Super Bowl title defense with just 11 days until opening the regular season with a much-anticipated rematch against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
Before the team lowers their latest championship banner on September 9, however, the Seahawks have to whittle their roster down to 53 players before Sunday’s 3 PM PT deadline. This means general manager John Schneider and the front office will have to orchestrate moves to remove 37 players from the roster through cuts, trades, or injured reserve designations over the next 24 hours and change.
Per NFL rules, players with less than four accrued NFL seasons will be subject to waivers if released, allowing all 31 teams an opportunity to claim them. If the player goes unclaimed, they will be free to sign with the Seahawks practice squad or sign with another active roster/practice squad as unrestricted free agents. For players with four or more accrued seasons, however, “vested veterans” are not subject to waivers until after the trade deadline, allowing them to immediately become free agents.
The Seahawks have used that discrepancy to their advantage in recent seasons, including signing receiver Cody White and cornerback Shaquill Griffin immediately to their practice squad last year with neither player subject to waivers. It’s possible Schneider could look to use the same strategy with a couple of players this year as a means to keep players who would otherwise be subject to waivers and potentially get plucked up by another team.
Looking towards Sunday’s deadline, who will ultimately make the Seahawks final 53-man roster?
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