Rylie Mills didn’t arrive in Seattle with the usual rookie buzz. He came in as a fifth-round pick already working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in his final game at Notre Dame, and the Seahawks treated him like a player who needed time more than opportunity.
That’s exactly how it played out. Mills stayed on the shelf until mid-December, then logged just 28 snaps over the final four games of the regular season.
His postseason usage barely moved the needle from there: inactive in the divisional round, one snap in the NFC title game, and five in the Super Bowl. By playing so little, he’ll now be a restricted free agent in 2029.
And yet one of those five Super Bowl snaps is the one everyone keeps replaying.
With 10:44 left in the second quarter, on second-and-7 from New England’s 38, Drake Maye dropped back from the shotgun with four receivers and one back in the formation. At first glance, it looked like a clean pocket.
Then Mills shoved rookie Jared Wilson backward, kept driving him toward Maye, and turned the play into a mess. Maye tried to escape, but Mills stayed with it, grabbed Maye’s jersey with his left hand, kept his right on Wilson, then swung his right arm over Wilson and onto Maye to finish the sack.
It was a third-and-long result, but more than that, it was a flash of something Seattle can use. It wasn’t a routine takedown. It was strength, leverage, and awareness all showing up at once.
Mills is an undersized defensive tackle, which is part of what makes the play stand out. He was originally a defensive end in college before bulking up and moving inside.
Still, the ability to drive a 310-pound lineman backward and finish at the quarterback is not the kind of trait you expect to see on command. That’s his style, though: attack, strike hard, and keep pushing into the backfield.
The Seahawks’ defensive line is going to be a crowded place in 2026. Leonard Williams is still an elite player, Byron Murphy may be moving into the elite-of-the-elite tier, and Jarran Reed is set for a part-time role. Mills will have to find his place in that mix, even if it’s partly to help keep the veterans fresh for January.
But he’s not just a body for a few snaps here and there. Seattle saw enough in the Super Bowl to know he can be more than that. Mills has the chance to become a real playmaker, and his growth belongs on the list of things that can keep this defense at the top in 2026.
In Other News...
Seahawks Rookie Is Suddenly Threatening A Problem Spot Fans Know Too Well
The Seahawks spent the spring trying to firm up an offensive line that has too often been the source of stress rather than stability, and right guard remains one of the spots drawing the most scrutiny as the title-defense season approaches. Anthony Bradford is entering his fourth year with a chance to settle the position, but the conversation around him has not exactly quieted, which is why the attention on the rookie class has started to feel more pointed than usual.
Beau Stephens has become part of that discussion after arriving from Iowa with the kind of size and versatility teams like to stash along the interior. The Seahawks do not need another open-ended competition on an already watched line, but if Bradford does not take a clear step forward, the door is at least open for a young lineman to force the issue and make the staff think twice about keeping the job unchanged. [Read more 🡒]
Storm May Have Found The Rebuild Star Nobody Saw Coming
Flaujae Johnson has given Seattle one of the few bright spots in a difficult season, and the rookies rise has been hard to miss. She has started every game for the Storm, settled into a major role right away and has put together a steady all-around line that has helped validate the teams decision to make her part of the rebuild.
The recognition has followed, too, with Johnson landing on ESPNs Top 50 WNBA Players list while continuing to draw praise inside the locker room for how quickly she has adjusted. Her growth has become one of the more encouraging storylines around the Storm, especially with teammates and coaches pointing to the way she has handled both the responsibility and the pressure that comes with playing such a big role so early. [Read more 🡒]
Three Seahawks Camp Decisions Could Reshape This Title Defense
As training camp approaches, the Seahawks are carrying a few roster questions that could shape the early months of their title defense, and they all sit in spots that matter. Devon Witherspoon remains a candidate for a contract extension, while the team is also sorting out a running back picture that has Jadarian Price and George Holani in the mix for the starting job, giving the offense at least one more camp battle worth watching closely.
The quarterback room adds another layer, with Sam Darnold positioned as the likely starter and Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe competing behind him. For Seattle, the intrigue is not just about who opens the season in what role, but how quickly those decisions settle once the pads come on and the real evaluation begins. [Read more 🡒]