Tag: Seahawks

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the New England Patriots in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seahawks open title defense with Super Bowl rematch vs. Patriots

Posted on | by Field Level Media

For the first time since 2016, the first game of the NFL season will be a Super Bowl rematch.

The Seattle Seahawks will begin their title defense on Wednesday, Sept. 9 when they host the New England Patriots, the team they dominated for a 29-13 Super Bowl LX victory on Feb. 8.

This was one of the marquee matchups announced when the NFL announced its full 272-game schedule for the 2026 season Thursday night.

It’s the fourth straight season that will feature a Super Bowl rematch.

Seattle’s schedule also includes games against the three prior Super Bowl champions, with a Week 8 home game against the Kansas City Chiefs (Oct. 25), where their Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III now plays, and a trip to see the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15 (Dec. 19).

The Seahawks will face the Los Angeles Rams, who they beat in the NFC Championship Game, twice in the final three weeks of the season on Christmas Day (home) and Jan. 10 (road) in the regular-season finale.

No. 1 overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza is likely to make his NFL debut for the Las Vegas Raiders when they host the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 on Sunday, Sept. 13.

A few teams which leapt into last season’s playoffs will have to work to make it back-to-back postseason appearances.

The AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars will close their regular season with seven of their final 10 games away from home.

The NFC South champion Chicago Bears have the hardest 2026 schedule based on their opponents’ combined 2025 win percentage (.550). Their schedule concludes with a game at Buffalo, home matchups against Green Bay and Detroit and a road trip to Minnesota, presenting a hard path in what should again be a closely contested division.

Conversely, the Cincinnati Bengals, who are coming off their first losing season since 2020, have the third-easiest schedule per last year’s win percentages (.450). Opening against Tampa Bay, Houston, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville presents a challenge, but eight of their nine games after that are against teams that weren’t in the playoffs last season.

The Kansas City Chiefs, looking to bounce back from missing the playoffs for the first time with Patrick Mahomes at QB, don’t seem to have an easy path back to the postseason. The final seven weeks of their schedule includes consecutive road games at Buffalo, the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati as well as games against New England (home), San Francisco (home), the Los Angeles Chargers (road) and Las Vegas Raiders (home).

Super Bowl LXI, to be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., will conclude the season on Sunday, Feb. 14.

–Field Level Media

Sep 25, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics co-owner, alternate governor and CEO Wyc Grousbeck speaks during a press conference at Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Report: Celtics investors preparing bid to buy Seahawks

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Boston Celtics investor Aditya Mittal and former Celtics lead owner Wyc Grousbeck are preparing a bid to purchase the Seattle Seahawks, Sportico reported on Thursday.

The report said that Mittal and Grousbeck have submitted a letter of interest to Allen & Company, the investment banking team handling the sale for the estate of late owner Paul Allen.

The Seahawks officially have been up for sale since Feb. 18, 10 days after winning the second championship in franchise history at Super Bowl LX.

Last week, Front Office Sports reported that Tech titans Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Tim Cook of Apple also have expressed interest in buying the team.

Mittal, 50, is the CEO of ArcelorMittal, a steel company based in Luxembourg. He contributed about $1 billion to the group led by Bill Chisholm that purchased the Celtics from Grousbeck and his father, Irving, in 2025, per Sportico.

Wyc Grousbeck, 64, is the founder of the group that bought the Celtics in 2002 and reportedly will remain part of the ownership group through 2028 to assure a smooth transition.

The Sportico report stated that “since Mittal lives in London, Grousbeck would reside in Seattle part-time and effectively operate the franchise.”

Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who purchased the team in 1997 for $194 million, died in 2018.

The team’s most recent valuation by Forbes was $6.7 billion, but projections put the potential sale price at anywhere from $8 to $11 billion. The NFL record is $6.05 billion for the Washington Commanders in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook looks on before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Report: Apple’s Cook, Meta’s Zuckerberg among Seahawks suitors

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tech titans Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook are among the parties interested in buying the Seattle Seahawks, Front Office Sports reported Thursday.

The Seahawks have been up for sale by the estate of late owner Paul Allen since shortly after winning Super Bowl LX in February.

Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who purchased the team in 1997 for $194 million, died in 2018. The team’s most recent valuation by Forbes was $6.7 billion.

The investment bank Allen & Co., which is handling the sale, declined to comment on the FOS report.

Meta founder Zuckerberg has a net worth of more than $206 billion, according to Forbes.

Cook recently announced that he is stepping down as Apple’s CEO to become the executive chairman of its board of directors. Forbes listed Cook’s net worth at nearly $3 billion.

The FOS report said there are at least two other potential bidders for the Seahawks.

–Field Level Media

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Champion Seahawks to kick off 2026 NFL season on a Wednesday

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Seattle Seahawks will begin the first step in their defense of their Super Bowl title on a Wednesday as opposed to the traditional Thursday opener to the NFL’s regular season.

The NFL has yet to announce an opponent for the Seahawks, who will host the 2026 opener on Sept. 9.

Seattle is playing one day earlier than usual because of the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia, pitting the Los Angeles Rams against the NFC West-rival San Francisco 49ers.

The Australia game will take place Friday, Sept. 11 at 10:35 a.m. local time in Melbourne, which is Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET in the United States.

“We are thrilled to kick off our season in Melbourne, enhancing an already historic moment for both the NFL and the Rams,” said Stephanie Cheng, Rams head of international. “Every time members of our organization visit, including earlier this month, we see first hand the growing excitement from folks across Melbourne in anticipation of this game.

“Not only will it be special playing the 49ers on a Friday morning in Australia, it also will be great for our fans back at home to be able to watch this matchup in primetime on Thursday night.”

The NFL will be opening its season on a Wednesday for the first time since 2012. That year, the New York Giants kicked off the festivities against the Dallas Cowboys on a Wednesday as a means to avoid a conflict with President Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention.

In addition to the game at Australia, the NFL will play international games at London, England (three games), Madrid, Spain, Mexico City, Munich, Germany, Paris, France, and Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

–Field Level Media

Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) looks on during the Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Seahawks exercise 5th-year options on WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, CB Devon Witherspoon

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The Seattle Seahawks exercised the fifth-year options of star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and standout cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Both players were first-round picks in 2023. Using the option keeps both players under contract through the 2027 season.

Smith-Njigba is slated to receive $23.9 million in 2027, while Witherspoon is expected to earn $21.2 million.

The move doesn’t prevent the Super Bowl champions from signing either player to a long-term extension.

Smith-Njigba recently said he expects to be the highest-paid player at his position. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase currently holds that distinction with a $40.25 million annual average per his four-year, $161 million deal.

Smith-Njigba was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 when he set franchise records of 119 receptions and 1,793 receiving yards. He also caught 10 scoring passes.

Smith-Njigba, who turned 24 last month, has 282 receptions for 3,551 yards and 20 touchdown catches in 51 NFL games (36 starts). The 20th overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Witherspoon, 25, was the fifth overall pick from Illinois in 2023 and has made the Pro Bowl in all three of his seasons. He has 249 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions in 43 games (42 starts) for Seattle.

Witherspoon returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown against the New York Giants during his 2023 rookie campaign.

–Field Level Media

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seahawks GM: Washington’s new millionaire’s tax will ‘sting’ in recruitment

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The Seattle Seahawks were admired by many for their team building through the draft and free agency, which helped them win Super Bowl LX in February. However, Washington state’s new “millionaire’s tax” could hinder their roster development and player recruitment in the future.

On Wednesday, the Washington state Senate approved a new measure that will impose a 9.9% tax on earnings exceeding $1 million annually. The measure was passed with a 27-21 vote and is likely to be signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson, who has already expressed his support for the bill. Payments will first be due in 2029.

It is expected that the bill will affect just 0.5% of Washington’s residents, disproportionately affecting athletes in the state, who make up a large portion of that.

“It’s gonna sting. There’s no question about it,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in an interview with KIRO-AM. “All the pro teams here in town, (not having a state income tax has) always been a huge attraction, especially competing with the California teams. It’s been a big deal for us. So, yeah, it’s going to sting from a recruiting standpoint.”

The NFL minimum salary in 2026 for any player with at least one season is set at $1.005 million, so this will apply to any new player the Seahawks are looking to recruit. So far this offseason, the Seahawks have signed three external free agents, all to one-year deals, and have lost key players like Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.

Washington will join California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York — as well as the District of Columbia — in adopting some version of the millionaire’s tax.

–Field Level Media

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (42) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Report: Seahawks, LB Drake Thomas agree on 2-year deal worth up to $9 million

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are bringing back starting linebacker Drake Thomas, who agreed to a two-year contract with a base of $8 million and incentives for another $1 million, NFL Network reported on Thursday.

A pending restricted free agent with the start of the new league year on March 11, Thomas, 26, became a first-year starter in his third season with Seattle. He was in the starting lineup for 14 of 17 regular-season games and all three playoff games.

Thomas totaled 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and eight passes defensed in the regular season. He added 18 tackles in the postseason.

He played on 68% of the defensive snaps (763) and 33% on special teams (150).

Undrafted out of North Carolina State, Thomas was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders in May 2023 and released on Aug. 29, then signed the next by the Seahawks.

–Field Level Media

Feb 9, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III poses with the MVP trophy during the Super Bowl LX winning head coach and most valuable player press conference at Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Report: Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to hit free agency

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The Seattle Seahawks reportedly are not expected to apply the franchise tag on running back Kenneth Walker III, making the Super Bowl LX MVP an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins next week.

ESPN reported the news on Tuesday shortly after the New York Jets applied the tag to running back Breece Hall. Hall and the Jets have until July 15 to hammer out a long-term contract or he will earn $14.293 million in 2026.

As for Walker, 25, he could become just the fourth player to win Super Bowl MVP and begin the following season on a new team. Larry Brown (SB XXX), Desmond Howard (SB XXXI) and Dexter Jackson (SB XXXVII) are the others.

The deadline for teams to place a franchise tag on a player is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Walker rushed for 135 yards in Seattle’s 29-13 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Feb. 8.

The 2022 second-round pick is at the end of his four-year rookie contract which saw the Seahawks pay him a total of $8.4 million.

After rushing for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season, Walker amassed 313 yards and four scores over the Seahawks’ three playoff games. He took over the majority of the reps in the wake of Zach Charbonnet’s season-ending knee injury sustained in a divisional-round win over San Francisco.

Over four seasons with the Seahawks, Walker has rushed for 3,555 yards and 29 touchdowns while catching 133 passes for 1,005 yards and two scores in 58 regular-season games (54 starts).

–Field Level Media

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) carries the ball as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green (0) defends during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet undergoes ACL surgery

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Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL on Friday, nearly five weeks after he sustained the injury.

Charbonnet, 25, injured his left knee in the Jan. 17 NFC divisional-round victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

While a definitive timeframe for his return has yet to be announced, it stands to reason that Charbonnet likely will miss a fair portion of the 2026 season.

He led the team in rushing touchdowns (12) and was second in rushing yards (730) this past regular season, his third with the Seahawks since he was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Kenneth Walker III, with whom Charbonnet normally splits carries, excelled in his absence during the playoffs. He went on to capture Super Bowl LX MVP honors, however he is in line to be a free agent.

Walker led the team in rushing yards (1,027) and had five touchdowns during the regular season.

–Field Level Media

Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) reacts during the Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: ‘I think I deserve to be the highest-paid at my position’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is eligible for a new contract because he has played three seasons on his rookie deal.

While Smith-Njigba says he isn’t pressing the issue, the 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year said he believes he should be the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.

“I’m really not too pressed right now to get it done,” Smith-Njigba told WFAA-TV. “I know my time is coming, and when we get it done it’s gonna be a great deal. God’s timing is perfect timing, so whenever that may come, we’ll be ready for it. I think I deserve to be the highest-paid at my position, just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all. And I think that’s worth a lot, lot more.”

Smith-Njigba, who turned 24 last Saturday, has one season remaining on his four-year, $14.4 million rookie contract.

“I would play this game for free, I love this game so much, but you don’t have to,” he said. “I’m learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day.”

Smith-Njigba put himself in position for a big payday after leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards in the 2025 regular season. He also had 119 receptions and 10 touchdowns en route to being selected for his second straight Pro Bowl.

Smith-Njigba didn’t stop there, totaling 199 yards and two touchdowns in three postseason games as the Seahawks won the franchise’s second Super Bowl title.

He has 282 catches for 3,551 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in 51 games (36 starts) since being selected out of Ohio State by the Seahawks with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase, 25, is the highest-paid wide receiver in terms of annual salary at $40.25 million. He signed a four-year, $161 million contract extension last March.

–Field Level Media