The Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 NFL season as defending Super Bowl champions, and they’re doing it with plenty of confidence after last year’s title run. They’ll kick off Wednesday against the New England Patriots, and despite a wild offseason around the league, Sports Illustrated still sees Seattle in a good spot.
Gilberto Manzano called the Seahawks “quiet Seahawks” and put them in the winners category heading into the new season.
“Despite being on Hard Knocks, the bulk of the spotlight was on the team they beat in the NFC championship game,” Manzano said regarding the spotlight that has been placed on the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams leading up to the new season. “…However, this could be a good thing for Mike Macdonald’s crew. They usually thrive when they’re being counted out.”
Seattle is bringing back much of the group that powered last season’s championship, even after losing several important pieces. The Seahawks said goodbye to Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, along with Coby Bryant and Boye Mafe, but they also added young talent and veteran depth while keeping their defensive core intact. The organization also locked up several key players with extensions as it set its sights on another run.
There’s also a notable change on the coaching staff. Brian Fleury has taken over as offensive coordinator after Klint Kubiak left to become the Raiders’ head coach. Fleury is expected to keep the offense rooted in the same foundation while putting his own stamp on it as Seattle defends its crown.
Even with the Rams adding Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Aaron Donald before Week 1, the Seahawks still have the kind of roster that can fuel real confidence about another Super Bowl push in 2026.
In Other News...
DK Metcalf Just Reopened A Seahawks Debate Fans Never Dropped
DK Metcalfs exit from Seattle was never just a roster move, and the way things have played out has only made the old debate louder. He asked the Seahawks for a trade before the 2025 season, landed with the Steelers, and Seattle responded by turning the page with draft-pick compensation and a major contract for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. From the outside, it was the kind of decision that invites instant comparison, especially after the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl LX while Pittsburghs run ended in the wild-card round.
Metcalf, though, is not treating the result like a reason to revisit his choice. He has said he understands the consequences of asking out and has congratulated his former teammates, even as the Steelers committed to him with a four-year, $132 million extension. For Seattle fans, it keeps the conversation in a familiar place: whether the franchise got the timing right, whether Metcalf got what he wanted, and how much a championship ring changes the hindsight around a trade that was already going to be dissected for years. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Kupps New Seahawks Partnership Goes Well Beyond Sneakers
Brooks Running has officially stepped into the Seahawks orbit as the teams new Running Partner, and the rollout comes with Cooper Kupp serving as one of three new global ambassadors. The arrangement fits Seattles sports culture neatly enough, but it is aimed at more than branding and sideline visibility. Brooks is tying the partnership to community work across Washington state, with a focus on supporting high school football coaches and athletes through programs such as Coach of the Week and Future Run grants.
The broader push also reaches into girls flag football, where Brooks plans to recognize coaches and players as the sport keeps growing in the region. The company expects to spotlight those efforts at a Seahawks home game, turning what could have been a straightforward endorsement deal into a much wider effort around local football. For Kupp and the Seahawks, it is a partnership built as much on community footing as on what happens on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Could Get A Big Backfield Boost Sooner Than Expected
Zach Charbonnets start to the season remains on hold, but theres at least a little more optimism around his recovery than there was when the Seahawks first braced for a long absence. The running back is on the physically unable to perform list after the knee injury he carried out of last season, which means he will miss the first four games, but coach Mike Macdonald said Charbonnet is progressing well and could be back sooner than the December timeframe that had seemed to be the target.
For Seattle, the possibility matters because Charbonnets return would give the backfield a jolt at a point in the season when teams usually start absorbing wear and tear. Still, nothing is locked in yet. He has to pass a physical before the Seahawks can activate him, and with no firm return date in place, the team is left waiting to see whether the encouraging signs turn into an actual midseason comeback. [Read more 🡒]