SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Less than 24 hours removed from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was aware of his team’s new standing across the league.
After beating the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to win the team’s second Super Bowl, the Seahawks will now have to avoid becoming complacent if they are to join other NFL franchises that have won back-to-back championships.
“We use the term chasing
edges here in Seattle. You have to live like that,” Macdonald said. “You can’t be copying anybody else. We want to be on the forefront of things. We know that we’re target No. 1 now.”
Before the Kansas City Chiefs won consecutive Super Bowls following the 2022 and 2023 seasons, it had been nearly two decades since a franchise secured back-to-back championships. The Seahawks will not only have their work cut out to do so in a competitive NFC West that features the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, both of whom were playoff teams in 2025.
Seattle’s coaching staff will look a little different next season, since offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak confirmed he will be the next Las Vegas Raiders head coach during an on-field interview Sunday night. It is believed the Seahawks’ next offensive coordinator will be an internal hire.
There’s also a possibility that Seattle’s vaunted “Dark Side” defense won’t be quite as stout during the 2026 season.
Defensive starters such as safety Coby Bryant, cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen and edge rusher Boye Mafe will all be unrestricted free agents this offseason.
And there’s no telling whether veterans such as Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence, both of whom are past the age of 30, will be quite as dominant on the defensive line next fall.
“The sad part about it is after tonight, who knows where other guys are going to be,” linebacker Derick Hall said Sunday. “Hopefully we can keep this thing together and keep this thing rolling.”
The Seahawks offense, ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring in the regular season, could have significant player turnover, too. Kenneth Walker III is headed into free agency as a Super Bowl MVP.
Walker, who was drafted by the Seahawks in 2022, said he would “definitely” like to return to the franchise when asked Monday morning about his pending free agency. If Sunday’s showing was his last in a Seattle uniform, though, Walker was pretty satisfied with it.
“I’m Super Bowl MVP,” Walker said, “So, I’m happy.”
If Walker elects to sign elsewhere, Seattle president of football operations John Schneider will have to determine whether he can count on Zach Charbonnet as the top running back. Charbonnet injured his knee in the divisional round, but told The Associated Press on Sunday he hopes to play during the 2026 season.
“Oh yeah,” Charbonnet said. “I’ll be back. I’ll be back.”
It remains to be seen whether the Seahawks will be back in the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs, in 2026. After Sunday’s win, Schneider preached humility considering the challenge of sustaining success in the NFL.
But, the Seahawks have a few cornerstones in place for the foreseeable future.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, is signed through the 2026 season.
Sam Darnold has proved himself in Seattle and is one of the team leaders for the Seahawks.
“We’re all rooting for people like that, right?” Schneider said. “This guy, he was the third pick in the draft for a reason. The resilience, he’s a resilient guy. And I think that’s been the reflection of our team, too.”
The Seahawks set the franchise mark for wins in the regular season (14) and total (17) in this season. The odds are against the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 61.
But, such a sentiment was nowhere to be found amongst Seattle’s players following Sunday’s victory that cemented the team as one of the greatest in franchise history.
“Of course,” Hall said about repeating as champions. “That’s the ultimate goal.”
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