DeMarcus Lawrence Is Aging Like a Fine Pass Rusher - and Quietly Building a Hall of Fame Case in Seattle
At 33 years old, DeMarcus Lawrence isn’t just defying the aging curve - he’s stiff-arming it into the turf. In a league where most edge rushers begin to fade in their early 30s, Lawrence is doing the opposite: he's thriving. And in the process, he’s quietly stacking up a résumé that could one day earn him a gold jacket.
Now in his 12th NFL season, Lawrence is still wrecking plays like it’s 2017. His latest moment?
A vintage forced fumble on Aaron Jones - after getting chipped to the ground, no less - that marked his first of the season and the 22nd of his career. That forced fumble also extended an incredible streak: Lawrence has now forced at least one fumble in 11 consecutive seasons.
The only year he didn’t? His rookie campaign back in 2014.
That kind of consistency puts him in rare company. Charles Tillman - the master of the "Peanut Punch" - also had a forced fumble in 11 straight seasons.
Jason Taylor managed 12. Robert Mathis, the all-time leader in forced fumbles, also had 11.
So no, Lawrence isn’t setting a record here. But he’s keeping pace with some of the most disruptive defenders the league has ever seen.
And while the forced fumbles are impressive, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. What Lawrence is doing in Seattle this season feels like the final chapter of a Hall of Fame story - one that’s been quietly written over the last decade and change.
The Numbers That Matter
Let’s take stock of what Lawrence has done so far in his career:
- 152 games
- 481 tackles
- 66.5 sacks
- 142 QB hits
- 106 tackles for loss
- 22 forced fumbles
- 2 interceptions
- 10 fumble recoveries
- 4 defensive touchdowns
- 4 Pro Bowls, 1 All-Pro
Those are strong numbers. Not slam-dunk Hall of Fame numbers, but strong.
And yet, before this season, Lawrence wasn’t really in the Hall of Fame conversation. According to Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor, he scored a 37.68 - well below the 102 average for defensive ends already enshrined.
So why are we talking about this now?
Because Lawrence isn’t done. Not even close. And if the rest of this season - and the next two under his current Seahawks contract - look anything like what we’ve seen so far, the conversation is going to change.
The Hall of Fame Bar
To understand where Lawrence stands, let’s compare him to three recent inductees: DeMarcus Ware, Dwight Freeney, and Julius Peppers.
DeMarcus Ware
- 178 games
- 138 sacks
- 229 QB hits
- 171 TFL
- 35 forced fumbles
- 9 Pro Bowls, 7 All-Pros
Dwight Freeney
- 218 games
- 125 sacks
- 148 QB hits
- 128 TFL
- 47 forced fumbles
- 7 Pro Bowls, 4 All-Pros
Julius Peppers
- 266 games
- 159.5 sacks
- 186 QB hits
- 175 TFL
- 51 forced fumbles
- 9 Pro Bowls, 6 All-Pros
Peppers is in a league of his own. But when you look at Freeney and Ware, you start to see a path for Lawrence - especially if he continues at his current pace.
He doesn’t have the sack totals, and his Pro Bowl/All-Pro count lags behind. But he’s ahead of Freeney in tackles, he’s not far off in QB hits and tackles for loss, and his knack for finding the end zone - four defensive touchdowns - keeps him in the mix.
The Seattle Renaissance
Here’s the thing: Lawrence might be playing the best ball of his career right now. Under Mike Macdonald’s defense - a scheme that’s quickly earning a reputation as one of the toughest to crack - Lawrence has found a new gear. He’s not just getting to the quarterback; he’s causing chaos that leads to turnovers, stalled drives, and big-time momentum swings.
And a lot of what he’s doing doesn’t even show up in the stat sheet. He’s drawing double teams, creating pressure that leads to interceptions, and setting the tone for a defensive front that’s helped Seattle emerge as a legitimate NFC contender. He’s the kind of player who can wreck a game without recording a sack - and that’s not something you can teach.
Projecting the Finish Line
Let’s say Lawrence keeps this up for the rest of 2025 and the two years left on his contract. That would put him on track for:
- 188 career games
- 582 tackles
- 82.5 sacks
- 194 QB hits
- 136 tackles for loss
- 26 forced fumbles
- 3 interceptions
- 12 fumble recoveries
- 5 defensive touchdowns
- 5 Pro Bowls
That’s not just a solid career - that’s a borderline Hall of Fame résumé. Especially when you consider the context: injuries cost him parts of three seasons, and his rookie year was essentially a redshirt. That’s eight highly productive years out of 12, with a strong finish still in progress.
The Intangibles
There’s also the leadership factor. Lawrence has become the veteran anchor for a young, aggressive Seahawks defense.
He’s mentoring the next wave of pass rushers while still playing at an elite level. And he’s doing it after spending the bulk of his career in Dallas, where team success didn’t always match individual effort.
Now, in Seattle, he’s not just playing for stats - he’s playing for wins. For playoff runs.
Maybe even a Super Bowl. That kind of late-career resurgence, on a second team, is rare.
DeMarcus Ware pulled it off with Denver. Lawrence might be next.
Final Word
Is DeMarcus Lawrence a Hall of Famer today? Probably not. But if he keeps this up for another two seasons - and adds another Pro Bowl or two along the way - he’s going to make voters think long and hard.
He’s already one of the most consistent edge rushers of his generation. And now, with a chance to go out on top in Seattle, Lawrence is writing the kind of final act that could land him in Canton.
Keep watching. Because "Tank" is far from empty.