Two years ago, the Seahawks took a risk in hiring a 36-year-old Mike Macdonald who only had two years of experience as a coordinator at the NFL level. As they celebrate in confetti, joyous off a 29-13 win fueled by Macdonald’s defense, the toughest defense to score against in 2025, it’s clear the risk was well worth the reward. 
While the defense held the spotlight for most of the biggest game of the year, there are plenty of other factors to point to when determining how Seattle got to this place in 2025. Starting with the defense, though, Macdonald inherited a group that allowed the eighth-most points and the third-most yards in 2023. In his first year at the helm, that unit improved greatly to the league’s 11th-best scoring defense and the 14th-best total defense. They finished 2025 having allowed the fewest points and the sixth-fewest yards in the NFL.
The team’s defensive personnel looks extremely different than it did two years ago. With Bobby Wagner, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Jordyn Brooks, Dre’Mont Jones, and Michael Jackson all departed, the Seahawks made an effort to get younger on defense, building around promising, young players like Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love with defenders who fit Macdonald’s system. By trading for Ernest Jones, drafting players like Byron Murphy and Nick Emmanwori, keeping Leonard Williams in free agency, and bringing in free agents DeMarcus Lawrence, Josh Jobe, and Jarran Reed, Seattle gave one of the league’s best defensive minds a completely retooled defense that dominated throughout their Super Bowl-winning campaign.
Macdonald didn’t just make significant changes to the defense, though. He also realized that turning around an offense that finished 21st in yards and 17th in points scored in 2023 was going to be a priority. While the unit improved in 2024, there was a determination that what was in place was not good enough. The team fired rookie NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, traded resurgent veteran quarterback Geno Smith, traded away unhappy wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, and released ten-year mainstay Tyler Lockett.
Credit can go to general manager John Schneider and his front office staff for this year’s offense, built around young draft picks like running back (and Super Bowl LX MVP) Kenneth Walker III, Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Charbonnet, AJ Barner, and all five starting offensive linemen who were drafted in the last four years — aside from center Jalen Sundell who signed last year as an undrafted free agent.
The necessary supplement to Schneider’s strong draft success to make this unit the third-best scoring offense with the eighth-most yards gained was just the right free agent additions. A new resurgent quarterback, Sam Darnold, and a savvy No. 2 receiver in Cooper Kupp proved to be the perfect fit.
As the Seahawks look to run it all back in 2026, there will be some contract situations to address. Walker, Jobe, Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and midseason trade acquisition Rashid Shaheed are all set to become unrestricted free agents in March, while starting linebacker Drake Thomas is set to become a restricted free agent.
Luckily, Seattle is in an excellent position when considering cap space for 2026. With their biggest cap hits coming from Darnold ($36.9MM), Williams ($29.64MM), Uchenna Nwosu ($20.77MM), and Kupp ($17.5MM), the Seahawks are sitting pretty with approximately $73.28MM of cap space, per OvertheCap.com, good for the sixth-highest amount in the NFL. And while they only have four draft picks for this coming April, they hold all three of their Day 1 & 2 picks. The team’s biggest challenge will be replacing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who will now depart to become the next head coach of the Raiders.
After falling short in the toughest game they played this year, the Patriots will turn focus now on how to return to this spot and make sure this sort of offensive performance never happens again. New England rode the league’s No. 2 scoring offense and No. 3 total offense to the Super Bowl then struggled offensively throughout the playoffs. While their defense held AFC opponents in check, in great part due to forcing eight turnovers throughout the postseason, MVP runner up Drake Maye didn’t throw for over 235 yards until tonight, and the offense gave up eight turnovers of its own. And while the running game had buoyed the offense during the run to Super Bowl, Seattle’s defense held them to only 79 yards on the ground tonight. 
The Patriots are also in a decent position to run it all back, though, in 2026. There are a few strong contributors like Jaylinn Hawkins, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Gibbens set to test free agency, but New England holds the 11th-most cap space in the NFL at $42.74MM, per OvertheCap.com. They can even expand on that number by addressing the contracts of a few veterans, who could end up as cap casualties like Stefon Diggs or Morgan Moses. If tonight showed them any glaring issues, they can make a strong attempt to address it with that excessive cap space or one of their 11 draft picks.
Tonight’s game wrapped up another fine NFL season and set us up for what is sure to be an exciting offseason as we now careen toward free agency and the draft. All those whose teams were eliminated far before tonight can renew their championship hopes with visions of tomorrow, and all 10 newly hired head coaches can start sweating as they realize the example that’s been set before them by Mike Vrabel taking a 4-13 squad to 14-3 and a Super Bowl berth in his first year and Macdonald winning a Super Bowl in Year 2. Congratulations to the Seahawks and the 12s (formerly known as the much cooler “12th man”)! Good luck to the rest in 2026!
Not even close as most predicted, Seahawks earned that. The #1 defense remains unbeaten against #1 and 2 offenses in SB.
Montana put up 55 against Denver’s PPG defense which was 1st.
Salary cap era is where I think the stat focuses on.
Huge rumor if true.
All speculation
Happy for Kenneth Walker and Sam Darnold. Great team win and a dominant defense. The NE offensive line had a bad night. Maye will learn from this experience.
Darnold becomes the third QB since 2020 to win in his first year starting for his team. Brady with TB and Stafford with the Rams also won.
Yeah, the left side of the Patriots line in particular was horrendous. Campbell and Wilson were atrocious. Maye was under pressure constantly, and started making bad decisions and skipping reads as a result.
I really do question McDaniels’ playcalling, though. Obviously he did well this year, propelling the offense to lofty heights, but his gameplan was quite frankly the worst part of the Pats’ performance tonight. The game was MUCH closer than the score indicates, but only because the defense actually played well. The offense put the ball into Maye’s hands far too often for a young player, and underutilized Stevenson (who looked more energized than most of the other players-not that they looked lethargic, Stevenson just looked more hopped up than anyone other than Diggs, who got barely any touches, either).
For a young offense playing in a defensive showdown, you’d expect McDaniels to work the run game more. Instead, they dropped back far too often against a good Seattle front, with an extremely weak left side that had too many one on ones for Campbell and Wilson to handle. It just seemed to play way too much into the Seahawks’ hands, and I expected more in terms of halftime adjustments from a coordinator who’s shown more in that department in the past than he did tonight.
Spot-on. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Fix o-line next year. Move Campbell to Guard.
Quite the contrary thought on the game being closer than it looked. The Seahawks looked to have backed off their defensive pressure in the 4th quarter, allowing a couple of last minute scores that mattered little to the outcome.
Also missed a couple of chances deep that we normally hit that would have made this look like the 49ers game. The Patriots never had a chance.
It was just halftime that saw not enough adjustments – the whole first half play calling seemed overly conservative and not playing into Mayes strengths, nor setting him up for a good cadence building confidence … not that the OLine helped much.
Perception: “It’s All About The Quarterback”.
Reality: You Don’t Win In The NFL Without Defense!
That is the NFL Montra ” Offenses win games Defense wins Championships”.
Seattle just outplayed, out coached New England. Seattle has been doing it on defense all season, the best team won and crowned the Super Bowl champs for 2026 season.
T be fair, New England was gifted this playoff run. Next year they’re going to have to earn it with a first place schedule and next to last draft position.
They still earned it but their offensive postseason woes continued. Vrabel will get even more help for that offensive line. They still should have ran the ball more to help Maye tonight.
They weren’t gifted in that low-scoring AFC Championship game.
They were gifted Jarrett Stidham.
Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl champion. Just wow
I still say, “Why Minnesota, this possibly could have been you with that SB Trophy in hand” Really made a mistake by letting Darnold walk.
KOC is not the coach MacDonald is. Flores gets the defense to play though.
Dornold progressed to where he is because of KOC and Shannan. They were gifted Sam. Viking brass decided they like a rookie better
I think they helped but get way too much credit. Darnold was a Jet and Panther no qb looks good with them even if they are good. It isn’t like he flamed out on the Packers, Ravens, KC more stable orgs. People take the ghost statement like he was the worst qb ever.
Before Allen and Jackson lol, how to turn around a career
That’s another crazy one. Before burrow and Herbert too lmao
The Allen and Jackson comp in particular though because they are the same draft class.
Had the 49ers not restored his confidence, this wouldnt have happened. Maybe Mac Jones can help a team in the near future as starter?
If Niners let him go that is.
With Purdy’s recent injuries, it would be short sided to just let Mac go, unless of course they either get a silly offer for his services, or his salary/cap hit motivates them to move on from him and seek another backup who can come in and keep them competitive…..with the other injuries the 49ers have had, especially on defense…and with a new DC, it was up to the offense to keep them in games, so offense is a priority and that probably means keeping Mac……
“Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl champion.” So was Trent Dilfer.
and Brad Johnson.
Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson were QBs on great defensive teams for the Super Bowl. Darnold after the first series of this Super Bowl was in the same boat, seen what his Defense was prepared to do against New England, they told him just don’t turn the ball over and he’ll get his ring. McDonald was right, the Defense line dominated the OL of New England from the start.
Hate all you want! Darnold is the only QB in history to take his team through the playoffs and win a SB with “0” turnovers. He outplayed the league MVP in the NFC championship and did enough against a good Patriots D to protect the ball and keep his team in positive field position and let a legendary D do its thing. He earned his ring, so hate on!
They were gifted a charges team minus Alt and Slater that finished 32nd in oline ranking
Were gifted a Texans team minus Dell Collins and Trent Brown
Were gifted Jarrett Stidham
Every game the Patriots benefited from injuries that hindered their opponents chances to win a game and not like it was minor injuries either
As a Jets fan, I’m happy to see Darnold and Leonard Williams win a Super Bowl. Really fun Seattle team. They earned this.
100%. What a journey
Add in Jason Myers, who began with Jax and spent one season as the Jets’ PK but will always be associated with Seattle.
Amazing what the NFL has become. Just a bunch of pretty good teams at the top of the league. Made for a boring Super Bowl too. But congrats to the Seahawks. A championship is a championship.
That’s not fair. That defense is suffocating
el_chapo_:
Yeah, when you play against so-so teams, defenses and offenses are going to look better. The Seahawks are a solid team, but this is not a great team. There are no great teams in this current NFL. And that’s completely fair.
NFL wanted parody and that is what they have, will the Seahawks repeat in 2027. Right now, you would say don’t know, with a salary cap, coaching changes, scheduling changes, and an unknown draft 2027 for the NFL is what the fans look forward to no one knows. Unlike MLB where money is spent willy nilly by only certain teams i.e Dodgers, Mets. NFL has 32 teams with about 80 percent having a chance to hoist the trophy, baseball its less then 20 percent. That is why the NFL is tops in professional sports in the US.
Mike what about the Seahawks tells you that they aren’t a great team ? What are the weaknesses you would take a red pen to?? I don’t know what more they could have done to show they are a great team. Are you discounting them merely because you think the entire league is sub-par this year; so the Seahawks only had to beat sub-par teams? May I ask you what team you root for normally??
Ignorant Son-of-a-b:
I have no dog in this fight. I’m a Giants fan. I couldn’t care less about the Seahawks and have nothing against them. I actually voted for them against the Patriots.I just don’t think they’re great. Yes they won 14 games this season, but there’s not exactly a sustained history of greatness here. They’ve been a pretty good team the last few years who took another step this year, but I wouldn’t be prepared to call them great. Defense is really really good. I don’t think the quarterback is a great player. I think they’re a good solid team. I don’t see greatness there.
The Seahawks beat the Rams twice, the 49ers twice, the Panthers on the road, and then won the Super Bowl. They finished the season as a great team. It seems if they were just good, some of these other good teams would have beat them. If you just watched them pummel the Patriots, you missed their greatness.
larkraxm:
That’s fine and the Seahawks deserved to win the Super Bowl. I’m saying none of those teams are that good. There’s not really any team that I felt that’s all that great. So they’re the best of a pretty good bunch. That’s fine. They’re the champions and they deserve it. I don’t want to hear they finished the season as a great team. That’s not a great team. That’s a very solid team. Really really good defense. I didn’t miss the greatness. You’re just seeing it where it isn’t. Again they’re the best of a lot of not great teams.
I heard you the first time! The 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams won a combined 38 games. I guess your threshold for “greatness” is pretty high. The last “great team” was the undefeated Miami Dolphins. Every other team was just better than bad teams.
larkraxm:
Well it bears repeating because you’re still not getting it. Winning 38 games between three teams in a mediocre league doesn’t make you great. It makes you the best of a pretty good bunch. I can’t believe anyone would look at the state of the league today and think there’s a single team in this league that’s great relative to the history of the league. Your comment about the dolphins is silly. There’s been many great teams since then. Many many of which are better than this Seahawks team.
I know you type with authority, but to quote the Dude, “That’s just like, your opinnion man”. That doesn’t make it true. Enjoy your offseason!
larkraxm:
And you saying the Seahawks are a great team doesn’t make it so either right? See how that works both ways. But yeah, we are here to give our opinions. And objectively speaking tell me how that Seahawks team would match up against other great teams or other Super Bowl winners. Yeah I’m sure it would be a real favorable.
Well…We will never know. All we know is that they beat the teams in front of them. I think that the “greatness” of any team is never objective. This defense is one of the best ever. That is pretty great.
larkraxm:
I totally agree. They beat the teams they were supposed to beat. They are the champions. I’m not at all taking away the fact that they were this year‘s Super Bowl champion. I’m just saying the NFL has become very watered down. It’s still entertaining. But I very much do not believe that the best teams in the NFL today are near the best teams of what the NFL was even just a few years ago. Obviously there’s no way to truly prove it, but I’m looking at that roster and looking at the league and that’s what it looks like to me. But I have to stop you saying this is one of the best defenses ever. That absolutely is not true. This is a very very good defense. One of the best ever is a crazy statement. Nothing personal but that’s nuts lol
Like you said, there is no way to prove it except that they are champions. You can “feel” like the Seahawks defense isn’t “great” compared to other defenses and I can give some numbers that says they are, but ultimately nobody can change what you “feel”. Comparing teams or players across decades is never apples to apples. The hit Kam Chancellor put on Demaryius Thomas in Super Bowl XLVIII is no longer legal. With rule changes that favor offenses and the way the game has evolved, we might look back in 10 years and view this year’s team differently than we do now. Not compared to the Ravens and LOB Seahawks, but compared to the next ten teams to come.
larkraxm:
OK, give me some numbers that show the Seahawks are one of the greatest defenses of all time. I can’t wait for that. I agree It’s very hard comparing from one era to the next. I totally agree. However, there’s been some absolute amazingly great defenses in the history of this league and the Seahawks do not deserve to be put in that realm. Let’s keep in mind they’ve only been a really top team for one year here. They were a good team last year, but no one would’ve considered them to be anything close to great. Right now it’s just one season and greatness is too much of a descriptor for me.
larkraxm:
By the way, I know about the DVOA ranking. Again, if the overall league isn’t great, I’m not going to look at it as an all-time defense when they’re playing against a bunch of pretty good teams.
Not sure what to say to that. I can only give numbers agianst the teams they played, not the “great” ones you are romantiazcing. According to you, they played only 17 bad teams, so their numbers are meaningless anyway. Just take the win. Miken31 declares who is great and who is not.
You could be watching the Premier League, where the top 6 clubs are the same year after year.
ChuckyNJ:
I’m not saying it’s the end of the world. I’m just saying the NFL is not a great product right now. That’s fine. It gives everyone a chance. And again a championship is a championship.
The game was too big for Maye.
He did look like he had that deer in the headlights look, the moment was way to be for him. New England OL was exposed over and over again on pass plays. But it was definitely about showing Maye still has some growing to do as an NFL QB. But when a team is outcoached, it’s the QB that takes the sacks.
Haven’t read a lot about coaching in the game but good point….the only thing Vrabel did was his usual hands on his hips crouch…didn’t seem to make corrections that were needed…
I think Vrabel did a great job with the defense. McDaniels just called some mind boggling plays and overexposed his young quarterback. Despite that, the defense kept them in it for most of the game.
Congratulations to DK Metcalf. hope the grass is greener wherever he got to watch the Super Bowl
Hahah! Well said. He will be out of nfl soon enough.
Well I thought it was gonna be a bit lower scoring but game went exactly as I thought it would. Seattle defense was just way too much for the pats.
As a Seahawks fan, I’m ecstatic!!
I agree 100!
I’m confused.. they kept telling me that Drake Maye is good? What happened?
He is!! He’s really good against teams under 500
Geno Smith must’ve had a fun weekend.
Should have traded McCarthy.
How bad is the AFC?
The AFC whose championship game drew a bigger TV audience than the NFC?
I don’t think TV audience has anything to do with talent level. It’s not really a slight against anyone’s team to say the NFC is better, it’s just common sense.
Drake Maye and a 1st for Mac Jones!!
Myers should have been MVP
Everyone who I watched the game with agreed Meyers was the MVP. I find it funny that people keep saying talent is down in the NFL this year. The 3 best teams in the NFL this year were in the NFCW. It wasn’t even close. Denver was the best in the AFC but still 4th best.
I sure hope in the draft our first pick is an OL. I have never been a fan of taking an OL in the 1st rnd unless it is a stud LT. After Zabel’s season this year hopefully we can do the same on the right side. We could even trade out of rnd 1 and get an extra pick. Just depends on who is left and our target.
Someone needs to sit Kubiak down offer him a raise and tell him to wait a year to become a head coach. Why walk into that disaster Vegas is? Comeback win another SB then have a pick of a better organization. No guarantee Mendoza will become a SS. Then the talent level is so low their best or close to the best will probably demand a trade. Stay where you will have more success Klint a 2 time SB winning OC will have a better choice of teams to coach for.
That’s certainly easy to say from your couch: “Take less money, less control, and less prestige”
Go Seahawks! Congrats!
Odds for Zack Wilson to win a Super Bowl just increased.
Pats had no business being in SB
If nix is healthy NE gets spanked by broncos
The most pathetic qb performance in SB i’ve ever seen
The most pathetic offense in a sb i’ve ever seen
Bad bunny could have done a better job
seahawks are good but 0 competition. It was like space jam monstars vs bugs bunny & bill murray
I enjoyed that 🔥🔥🔥 performance by Bad Bunny but otherwise this was the worst S.B since the Rams – Pats in the ATL 7 years ago. Glad Seattle won though.
Is Sam McDonald the new face of the league?
Most definitely after they win the Super Bowl next year.
The most boring Super Bowl ever. Even the commercials sucked unless you are an AI freak. At least Bad Bunny was great.
Pats looked like a team who had only won 3 games against teams with winning records.
Oh wait..