‘Not Good Enough’: Seahawks’ Special Teams Play Not Meeting Standard Early in 2026 Season
When it comes to on-field performance, Mike Macdonald has set the bar incredibly high for the Seattle Seahawks, expecting his players to play to a championship standard in all three phases of the game all the time.
On the way to a Super Bowl LX title last season, for the most part, the Seahawks met those expectations. But through three games, coming off their first loss in 10 months at the hands of the Commanders in a 33-31 road defeat, Macdonald isn’t thrilled with the results being produced from the team’s typically excellent special teams units.
“To put it plainly, it’s not good enough,” Macdonald said on Monday. “There’re things process-wise that we can improve on. We've talked about this throughout training camp, and really since we got here, but a Seahawk play needs to look like a Seahawk play. There are plays on tape that we're not doing that.”
Seahawks Injury Report: Tory Horton to Make 2026 Debut vs. Cardinals, Zach Charbonnet on the Mend
Coach Mike Macdonald remained coy as usual on the status of two noteworthy starters following Friday’s walkthrough practice, but the Seattle Seahawks will at least have their full receiving arsenal on tap for backup quarterback Drew Lock in Arizona.
Per Macdonald, the Seahawks will finally welcome second-year wideout Tory Horton back to the lineup for the first time in nearly a calendar year, marking his first game action since a shin injury cost him the final eight regular season games as well as the entire Super Bowl run as a rookie. A hamstring injury suffered during training camp ended up knocking him out of preseason action and he didn’t dress for the team’s 13-10 win over the Patriots in their season opener last week.
“Tory’s back. Had a great week at practice, excited to see him play. He’s worked hard,” Macdonald said.
It’s been a long haul back for Horton, who confirmed in the early stages of training camp that he played through the injury for several weeks before landing on injured reserve, undergoing surgery after the Super Bowl and having a rod inserted into his leg. Requiring several months of healing, he didn’t participate in Seattle’s on-field offseason activities, but he avoided starting the new season on the PUP list and gradually ramped up his practice work before his latest setback occurred in mid-August.
Sam Darnold ‘Killing It’ in Rehab, Confirmed Out for Seahawks at Cardinals in Week 2
From a long-term prognosis standpoint, Sam Darnold appears to be on a trajectory to return in the not-so-distant future for the Seattle Seahawks. But that future won’t be as early as this upcoming weekend.
Rather than dance around the possibility of Darnold potentially being available to play in Arizona against the Cardinals on Sunday, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald confirmed the Pro Bowl quarterback would sit out this week, yielding the controls to the offense to backup Drew Lock. Fortunately, injured reserve isn’t on the table at the moment, and the organization will revisit his status next week.
“We don’t anticipate putting him on I.R. or anything like that,” Macdonald told reporters. “We’ll just kinda re-evaluate every day and re-evaluate next week. We’ll go from there, but he won’t play this week.”
Knocked out just six plays into Seattle’s season opener, Darnold’s right knee rammed into the turf when New England defensive end Dre’Mont Jones brought him down from behind for a drive-ending third down sack. He hobbled off the field and after trying to shake off the discomfort, he spent a brief moment in the injury tent before limping alongside trainers into the locker room, ruled out late in the second quarter due to a hip injury with Lock playing the remainder of the game.
Jalen Milroe Set to Play Seahawks Entire Preseason Finale, Trevon Diggs to ‘Get a Look’ vs. Chiefs
Preparing to hit the road for their final dress rehearsal for the 2026 season in Kansas City, the Seattle Seahawks will hand the keys to the offense to Jalen Milroe for all four quarters, while a veteran newcomer should get his first opportunity to show what he can do in the secondary.
Speaking with reporters following Thursday’s walkthrough practice, Macdonald confirmed that while backup Drew Lock “will be ready” to go if needed, the Seahawks plan for Milroe to play the entire game against the Chiefs on Friday. Now with a handful of practices under his belt since signing with the team on August 19, cornerback Trevon Diggs also is expected to suit up and see some snaps as he aims to land a spot on the 53-man roster.
In his second season after being drafted in the third round by Seattle out Alabama, Milroe has endured a mostly rocky preseason to this point. Checking in for Lock to start the second half in Nashville last Sunday, he completed six out of 11 passes for 54 yards and threw two costly interceptions, telegraphing a throw that was picked by linebacker Anthony Hill in the third quarter and misfiring behind rookie receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. late in the fourth quarter. He also took a pair of sacks, including on a decisive fourth down to close out the game.
There have been a few highlights sprinkled in there for Milroe, however, who has showcased his physical and athletic talents as a runner in both preseason games while connecting on a few longer passes. Macdonald hopes that being able to stay in the game from start to finish without having to come in cold midway through on Friday will allow the young signal caller to get into a better rhythm and play with improved decisiveness and consistency as a result.
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?
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.
Tory Horton’s Return Opens Door for Seahawks’ Offense to Reach Greater Heights in 2026
Fielding questions from wide-eyed youngsters at his first annual pro camp at Kennedy Catholic High School, it didn’t take long for Tory Horton to be asked why he missed the Seattle Seahawks final 11 games, including the entirety of their Super Bowl run.
“I just had a few things pop up,” Horton responded, assuring the campers in attendance that he would be back and ready to roll for a new season.
For those hoping for a bit more transparency, Horton didn’t have to delve into specifics, especially answering a question from a 10-year-old during a quick Q&A session before campers broke into fun two-hand tap scrimmage games. The Seahawks themselves haven’t offered much in that regard either since the injury occurred, as his status largely remained shrouded in mystery beyond the team’s initial explanation that he had suffered a shin injury during a Week 10 win over the Commanders on Monday Night Football.
At the time, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald hinted that the medical staff initially felt Horton would miss a few weeks of action, hopeful the standout rookie receiver would be able to return later in the schedule even if he spent the minimum four games sidelined on injured reserve. But by the time January rolled around, without anything new being disclosed beyond the shin needing “a long time to heal” and plenty of rest, per Macdonald, the team all but ruled out the possibility he would be activated for the playoffs, ending a once-promising first season after playing in just eight games.
Growth of Sophomore Class Gives Seahawks Shot to Be Even Better in 2026
Like most Super Bowl winners, the Seattle Seahawks leaned heavily on their established stars on the way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last season. From quarterback Sam Darnold to defensive tackle Leonard Williams to linebacker Ernest Jones, the team had plenty of experienced veterans who stepped up with outstanding seasons to guide the team back to the top.
However, what made Seattle’s season truly a special one was the impressive contributions from young players in all three phases. Most notably, the 2025 rookie class played a massive role in taking the jump from a quality 10-win team that narrowly missed the playoffs one year earlier to winning the NFC West, earning the No. 1 seed, and capturing a Super Bowl title.
Continuing to be on a multi-year heater unearthing game-changing talent in the draft, Seahawks general manager John Schneider landed a Day 1 starting guard in Grey Zabel with the 18th overall pick, plugging the former North Dakota State standout into the lineup right away as a clear difference maker for a much-improved offensive line. Defensively, trading up to snag safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th overall pick proved to be a huge steal for the franchise, as his Swiss army knife traits turned an already great defense into a juggernaut.
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?
Seahawks Maintain Present/Future Cap Flexibility Amid Receiver Spending Spree
Kicking off a busy Monday in late March with a bang, the Seattle Seahawks worked swiftly to reward Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a record-setting extension, making the superstar receiver the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history with a four-year, $168.6 million contract.
Only a few hours later, weeks after locking up speedy wideout/return specialist Rashid Shaheed a three-year, $51 million contract on the first day of free agency, general manager John Schneider dipped even more financial assets into the receiver group, as the Seahawks opted to match the Jaguars’ two-year offer sheet for special teams ace Jake Bobo. Between those three contracts, the franchise has shelled out north of $220 million at the position this month, including over $120 million in guarantees for Smith-Njigba’s market-setting extension.
Adding those three deals with veteran Cooper Kupp’s remaining two years with base salaries of $12.9 and $12.4 million, per Spotrac, Seattle has a league-high $83 million in combined average annual value (AAV) at the receiver spot in 2026 and nearly equaling that total at $78 million in 2027. In both seasons, they sit at least $6 million ahead of the next team behind them, illustrating tremendous investment in the position compared to the rest of the NFL.
Analysis: Which 2022 Draftees Will Seahawks Re-sign Following Charles Cross Extension?
Now with both of their young tackles locked in for the next three-plus seasons on extensions, the Seahawks can turn their attention towards the rest of their heralded 2022 draft class. Which of the five players currently on the final year of their rookie deal have the best shot at a second contract?
Seahawks Designate Elijah Arroyo for Return Off Injured Reserve
Aided by a week off as the NFC’s top seed, the Seahawks hope to have another athletic pass catching option back available for Sam Darnold as they begin preparation for the Divisional Round.
Seahawks Place WR Tory Horton on Injured Reserve, Elevate 2 From Practice Squad to Face Titans
After already missing the previous two games, the Seahawks will be without their standout rookie playmaker for at least another month as he continues to battle through a shin injury.
WATCH: Ken Walker III Among Questionable Seahawks to Play vs. Titans in Nashville
Already down two key contributors for Sunday in Tennessee, it remains to be seen how close to full strength the Seahawks will be in Week 12, particularly on offense with three starters listed as questionable.
Injury Report: Ernest Jones Good to Go For Seahawks, Two Ruled Out vs. Rams
Named a captain alongside current - and former - teammate Cooper Kupp, Ernest Jones will be in uniform for the Seahawks heading into a massive NFC West matchup with the Rams. Who’s in and who’s out at SoFi Stadium for Mike Macdonald’s team?
Injury Updates: Seahawks Expected to Lose Jalen Sundell For ‘Multiple Weeks’
For the first time this season, the Seahawks will have to navigate a significant injury along the offensive line, while it remains unclear whether Ernest Jones and other injured players will return for a crucial contest against the Rams on Sunday.
WATCH: Expect Heavy Dose of Rashid Shaheed in Seahawks’ Debut vs. Cardinals
The Seahawks may not have been inclined to ease Rashid Shaheed into action anyway, but thanks to a litany of injuries, there won’t be any training wheels as his new team has no choice but to fully unleash him five days after arriving from the Saints.
Unsung Heroes Thrive as Seahawks Throttle Commanders in Primetime Thrashing
Throwing four touchdowns in the first half, Sam Darnold deserved all the flowers leading the Seahawks to a blowout win in Landover. But with injuries on both sides of the ball, it was a complete team win with no shortage of standouts shining under the lights.
Rapid Reaction: Sam Darnold, Seahawks Go Nuclear in Historic 38-14 Blowout Win Over Commanders
Scoring 31 points before halftime, the Seahawks’ offense set Northwest Stadium on proverbial fire behind a historic night from Sam Darnold, leading to an easy blowout primetime victory over the Commanders.
Halftime Observations: Seahawks Come Out Humming Post-Bye, Lead 31-7 in Washington
Spearheaded by an all-world performance by Sam Darnold, the Seahawks showed no rust coming out of their bye week, racing out to a 24-point lead on the road in prime time.
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