John Schneider Named NFL Executive of the Year: A Long-Awaited Recognition for a Master Architect
It’s been a long time coming, but the league is finally giving John Schneider his flowers.
On Thursday, the Seattle Seahawks general manager was named the NFL Executive of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America - a first for Schneider since he took the reins in Seattle back in 2010. For a man whose fingerprints are all over one of the most successful eras in Seahawks history, the honor feels not only deserved but overdue.
Let’s not forget: Schneider and Pete Carroll built the foundation of the Legion of Boom, the defense that changed the modern NFL and powered Seattle to its first and only Super Bowl title. Yet somehow, during that dominant stretch in the early 2010s, Schneider never took home this award.
Now, more than a decade later, he’s earned it - and not because of nostalgia. This is about what he’s doing right now.
The Seahawks just wrapped a franchise-best 14-3 regular season, locked up the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and are one win away from another Super Bowl appearance. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of bold, calculated, and often gutsy decisions - the kind Schneider has made in spades over the past year.
Let’s start with the quarterback. Moving on from Geno Smith wasn’t an easy call.
Smith had resurrected his career in Seattle, and parting ways with a Pro Bowl QB is always a risk. But Schneider didn’t hesitate.
He shipped Smith out and brought in Sam Darnold, a move that raised eyebrows at the time but has since paid off. Darnold has looked like a different quarterback in Seattle, and the offense has flourished under his command.
Then came the DK Metcalf trade. Again - not an easy move.
Metcalf is a fan favorite and one of the league’s most physically gifted receivers. But Schneider saw the bigger picture.
He flipped Metcalf for a second-round pick and cleared valuable cap space, which opened the door for other key additions.
And what Schneider did with that flexibility was nothing short of masterful.
He crushed the 2025 draft, landing three rookies who’ve already made significant impacts: left guard Grey Zabel, safety Nick Emmanwori, and wide receiver Tory Horton. That marks four straight years of high-impact draft classes - a streak most front offices would envy.
In free agency, he added veteran star power and savvy depth. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence brought leadership and pass-rushing prowess.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, though past his prime, gave Darnold a reliable route-runner and mentor for the young receiving corps. And at the trade deadline, Schneider pulled in Rashid Shaheed - a burner who’s been a game-changer on special teams and a sneaky weapon on offense.
But to really understand the full scope of Schneider’s impact, you’ve got to go back even further.
The 2022 Russell Wilson trade was the turning point. It sent shockwaves through the league - a franchise quarterback dealt in his prime - but Schneider saw the writing on the wall and acted decisively. The return haul was massive: a trove of draft picks that became the bedrock of Seattle’s retooling.
What followed was a three-year draft run that stocked the roster with young, ascending talent. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, now the NFL’s receiving leader.
Devon Witherspoon, already a three-time Pro Bowler. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, anchoring the offensive line.
Byron Murphy II, AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, Boye Mafe, Derick Hall - it’s a list that reads like a blueprint for sustainable success.
And Schneider hasn’t just drafted well - he’s nailed the trade market too. He landed All-Pro defensive lineman Leonard Williams at the 2023 deadline and followed that up by acquiring linebacker Ernest Jones IV in 2024. Both re-signed in the following offseasons, both have become core pieces of a defense that’s back to flying around like the Seahawks of old.
In a league where front offices often chase short-term fixes, Schneider has played the long game - and it’s paying off in a big way. The Seahawks aren’t just good again. They’re built to stay good.
So yes, the Executive of the Year award may have taken a while to find its way to Schneider’s desk. But in 2025, he didn’t just earn it - he left no doubt.