The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champions once again, claiming their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history with a 29-13 win over the New England Patriots. But while the spotlight rightfully shines on Seattle’s stars and coaching staff, there’s an unexpected subplot that’s hard to ignore: the New York Jets - unintentionally - played a surprising role in shaping this championship roster.
No, the Seahawks aren’t handing out rings to the Jets front office. But if you trace the paths of several key contributors, it’s clear that a series of decisions made in Florham Park helped pave the road to Seattle’s Super Bowl LX triumph.
Let’s start with the quarterback. Sam Darnold’s journey from Jets franchise hope to Super Bowl-winning starter has been anything but conventional.
Drafted third overall by the Jets, Darnold never found solid footing in New York, largely due to a lack of consistent support around him. That chapter closed when the Jets traded him to Carolina, and after bouncing around with the Panthers, 49ers, and Vikings, Darnold landed in Seattle - where he finally found stability and success.
On Sunday, he became the first USC quarterback to win a Super Bowl. That’s a long arc, but it circles back to a pivotal decision by Jets GM Joe Douglas.
And Darnold wasn’t the only former Jet making big plays in Seattle’s title run.
Leonard Williams, another former Jets first-rounder, was traded away by Douglas in 2019. The defensive lineman eventually landed with the Giants, who then dealt him to Seattle - a move that proved massive for a Seahawks defense that hit its stride late in the season. Williams became a cornerstone of a unit that stifled opponents throughout the playoffs and played a major role in shutting down the Patriots’ offense in the Super Bowl.
Then there’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks’ standout wide receiver broke team records this season and earned All-Pro honors, but he could’ve been wearing green and white.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Jets passed on Smith-Njigba and instead selected edge rusher Will McDonald - a pick that raised eyebrows at the time and looks even more questionable now. Reports later revealed that Douglas didn’t even have a first-round grade on Smith-Njigba.
Seattle didn’t hesitate, and now they have one of the league’s brightest young stars to show for it.
And let’s not forget about Jason Myers. The kicker was originally with the Jets before being let go in free agency - a decision made by former GM Mike Maccagnan, not Douglas, but still one that came back into focus on Sunday night.
Myers drilled five field goals in the Super Bowl, accounting for 15 of Seattle’s 29 points. In a game where every possession mattered, Myers’ steady leg was a difference-maker.
Even the running back position has a Jets-Seahawks connection. New York chose Breece Hall over Kenneth Walker III in the 2022 draft.
Hall has shown flashes of brilliance in New York, but Walker’s postseason run was something else entirely. He powered through defenses, made clutch plays, and capped it all off with a Super Bowl MVP performance.
That kind of production on the biggest stage is what legends are made of.
To be clear, the Seahawks earned this championship. They built a balanced, resilient team that peaked at the right time. But it’s hard to ignore how much of this roster - and this moment - was shaped by decisions made elsewhere, particularly in New York.
So while the Seahawks celebrate their hard-fought victory, maybe they send a quiet thank-you to the Jets - for the trades, the draft choices, and the players they let walk. Because whether they meant to or not, the Jets helped build a Super Bowl champion.