In a pivotal Week 14 clash with playoff implications on the line, the Seattle Seahawks traveled to Atlanta to take on the Falcons - and while the spotlight was expected to shine on names like Kenneth Walker, Cooper Kupp, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it was a midseason acquisition who stole the show in the most electric way possible.
Rashid Shaheed, welcome to the moment.
The Seahawks’ offense had been stuck in neutral through the first half, unable to find rhythm against a Falcons defense that’s been inconsistent all season. But football isn’t just about offense and defense - it’s a three-phase game, and Seattle’s special teams delivered in a massive way.
To open the second half, Shaheed fielded the kickoff deep in his own end zone. What happened next was the kind of play that flips games - and seasons.
A 100-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Shaheed caught the ball near the back edge of the end zone, took a few steps toward the sideline, then made a sharp cut back inside. From there, it was all speed and vision.
He knifed through Atlanta’s coverage unit with the kind of burst that makes you sit up a little straighter on the couch. Once he hit the second level, it was over.
Nobody was catching him.
That return didn’t just give the Seahawks a much-needed jolt - it also set an NFL record for the longest play of the 2025 season so far. The previous mark was shared by the Jets’ Kene Nwangwu (99-yard kickoff return TD) and the Jaguars’ Devin Lloyd (99-yard interception return TD). Shaheed now owns that record outright.
It couldn’t have come at a better time for Seattle.
With the offense sputtering and the playoff picture tightening, the Seahawks needed a spark. Shaheed delivered one that lit up the scoreboard and flipped the momentum in their favor.
It was also a breakout moment for the speedster, who had been relatively quiet since joining the team at the trade deadline. Through his first four games in a Seahawks uniform, Shaheed had just four catches for 37 yards. But in his fifth outing, he made the kind of impact that doesn’t show up in a box score - it shows up in highlight reels and record books.
For a team fighting to stay in the postseason hunt, plays like this don’t just change games - they can define seasons. And for Rashid Shaheed, it was the kind of play that introduces a player to a fanbase in unforgettable fashion.