Seahawks shock the NFL by clinching the number one seed. 

In the offseason before the 2025 season, the Seattle Seahawks made drastic changes to their organization. Trading and releasing their quarterback, wide receiver core, tight end, and assistant coach for a risky quarter back and an old wide receiver, along with a few defensive players moves. Fans and experts alike speculated that the team had downgraded and were headed for a poor season. But the Seahawks shocked the league and secured the number one seed in the playoffs. 

2024 was another average season for the Seahawks, even with a new head coach, they were still just a decent team and barely missed the playoffs. The organization decided it was time for some drastic changes. Fans of the Seahawks had been surrounded by familiar faces such as wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, starting quarterback Geno Smith, tight end, Noah Fant, and others for the past seasons. After the offseason, none of these players would play for Seattle.  

Instead, the Seahawks would sign and trade for a new offense: Sam Darnold, a quarterback who has bounced around the league never finding a home for 8 seasons, and a 32-year-old wide receiver Cooper Kupp. The team also named Klint Kubiak the new offensive coordinator. The team’s entire attack had changed.  

Many fans were sad to say goodbye to the traded players and critical about he organization’s decisions. The new quarterback, Sam Darnold, has never been a star, and there was a reason why teams had never held onto him. In his eight seasons in the NFL, he has thrown just under 20,000 yards, 120 touchdowns, and 79 interceptions. Compare that to the average quarterback who is throwing three to four thousand yards per season, that’s not great. And Cooper Kupp is getting quite old and is way out of his prime.  

But there was one man left to save the Seahawks, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 2025 will be his third season in the NFL, and he has shown promise in his rookie and previous season. It was clear to see the team was taking huge bet on the youngster’s performance and boy did it pay off. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN) has gone so far as to set franchise records for this team. As of week 16, he has the most receiving yards in the league with over 1,600 and 10 touchdowns.  

The Seahawks gamble paid off, and they now have themselves a new star.  

The Seattle management team deserves more credit for their first and second round draft picks over the last few years. Usually, you are looking for strong players who you believe you can and to the team for a boost in strength, but these players are all crazy game changers. This year they picked up Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori with their first and second pick. Zabel has played over 1,000 snaps this season as only allowed two sacks, and Nick Emmanwori has become one of the best safeties in the league and is a huge contender for defensive rookie of the year. Then there is also Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon who have already proven their immense worth for the team over the past two years. 

So, by keeping their excellent younger players, the Seahawks were guaranteed to have a strong base of a team. It now all depended on the new players that they brought in during the offseason, and it’s clear to say now that quarterback Sam Darnold has exceeded all expectations by far. This season, he threw for over four thousand yards, 25 touchdowns, and even earned a pro-bowl selection. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp might not be a super star, but he has been a strong, dependable player who is consistent when it comes to clutch scenario.  

Halfway through the season with a 6-2 record, the Seahawks realized that they now had a playoff contention team, and they decided to double down. In November Seattle traded 2026 fourth and fifth round draft picks to the New Orleans Saints for wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed is a high-quality receiver known for being one of if not the fastest receiver in the league. Adding him to the team allows the team to quickly stretch the field and its defenders, allowing for their star JSN to get even greater opportunities. Shaheed isn’t just a sacrifice for JSN though, he has also proven himself to be a valuable deep target for the team, but since joining the team he has truly shined for one reason, kickoffs. Utilizing his incredible speed, he is a perfect punt returner for getting down the field quickly. So far, he has returned multiple kickoffs and punts for touchdowns this season. Shaheed has proven himself to be a valuable asset for his team. 

By keeping their top tier defence and reshaping their offense with new weapons and overall strategy, Seattle has become an unstoppable force. The Seahawks have finished the season with a 14-3 record and haven’t lost a game since week ten. This has resulted in the hawks clinching the number one seed in the NFC, and a round one by week in the playoffs. 

From being expected to be the worst team in their division, the Seahawks have become a Superbowl favourite this year. They will face the team with the lowest seed in the second round of the playoffs which is most likely to be the Green Bay Packers or the Los Angeles Rams.  

If Seattle can continue to push through the playoffs and make it to the Superbowl, it will be one of the biggest surprises we have seen in the NFL. 

Cover Image: Seattle Seahawks