Seattle Seahawks reserve safety Ty Okada has emerged from the practice squad and become a key part of one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
During Super Bowl media availability on Wednesday, Okada spoke to Field Gulls about the journey from an undrafted free agent out of Montana State to the cusp of a Lombardi Trophy.
“Reflecting on it, I feel very blessed on the journey,” Okada said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m extremely grateful for the Seahawks organization giving me an opportunity
to play in the NFL and just being around this amazing group of guys. It’s surreal and very special and I’m just very thankful for it.”
Okada has been called into action heavily this year, making 11 starts whether for Julian Love or Coby Bryant. The Seahawks defense looked like it didn’t miss a beat, with Okada recording a sack of C.J. Stroud against the Houston Texans and making a terrific interception versus the Washington Commanders. One of the coaches he praised for developing him along the way is Karl Scott, a holdover from the Pete Carroll staff and current defensive backs/passing game coordinator.
“I’m so thankful for coach K-Scott,” Okada said. “He’s been with me since my rookie year. I was very thankful that he stuck around.
“He’s the ultimate teacher. He does such a great job of coaching us up in the DB room. The way he communicate—he’s so clear and concise. The way he communicates, he’s an awesome coach, an awesome person, so I’m extremely thankful to learn from him since my rookie year.”
While Okada’s defensive snaps are limited when Bryant and Love are healthy, he still sees major playing time on special teams, where Seattle has been supreme throughout 2025.
“I always think about it like this: I look at myself as a force multiplier,” Okada said. “Whatever the coaches ask of me, whatever my role is each day and each week, I want to do it to the best of my ability and help put my teammates in the best possible position to also find success.
“When I’m out there on special teams, I’m like, ‘This is awesome.’ What else can I ask for but to have an opportunity to come out and play in the NFL and go make an impact on special teams? So just very thankful for every opportunity I’ve been given, week in and week out.”
We’ll have more to come from this interview and others later Wednesday and on Thursday.
