The Seahawks came out of the preseason with one special teams worry, and now they’re dealing with another one entirely.
Back then, the attention was on Jason Myers, who missed five kicks over three games. That noise has quieted down for now - Myers has been perfect on field goals and extra points - but Seattle’s kick coverage has turned into a real problem through three weeks of the regular season.
Last year, this was a strength. Jay Harbaugh’s unit gave up only 24 yards per kick return, tied for fourth-fewest in the NFL and almost two full yards better than the league average.
The Seahawks also allowed 81 kick returns, second-most in the league, while Myers posted a career-low 17.5% touchback rate. In other words, Seattle was inviting returns and still squeezing opponents into bad field position.
That edge has vanished in 2026.
Through Week 3, the Seahawks sit 30th in yards per return allowed at 30.1. They’ve already given up five kickoffs that went for at least 30 yards out of 11 returned kicks.
Last season, they allowed only eight such returns all year. Opponents are starting at their own 32 on average after kickoffs, which is worse than league average and includes touchbacks and illegal kicks that move the ball to the 40.
The eye test matches the numbers. The Seahawks look shaky on the edges and slow to get off blocks, and in these returns the returner isn’t getting touched until he’s near the 30.
This is strictly a kickoff issue, too. Seattle is the only team in the NFL that hasn’t allowed a punt return yet.
That makes the tradeoff pretty clear: if the coverage team can’t do better than forcing a start near the 35, Myers might as well keep sending more kickoffs through the end zone when he can. Seattle has already come close to giving up a huge return, and it feels like only a matter of time before one breaks.
Personnel could be part of the story. The Seahawks lost some important coverage bodies from last season, and 15 of those kick return tackles came from current Las Vegas Raiders Dareke Young and Cody White.
Young finished second on the team behind Brady Russell in kick return tackles, while White had six before a season-ending injury. Jake Bobo is still on the roster, but he’s on injured reserve for the year.
Altogether, that’s 407 special teams snaps gone because of injury or departures. Seattle typically had at least one of those three receivers on kick coverage, and in the playoffs - when White was already on IR - Bobo and Young were both involved.
Montorie Foster Jr. also hasn’t been able to carve out a role. The preseason standout and Hard Knocks name has been a healthy scratch for two games.
So far, he has played only seven special teams snaps, with three on punts and four on kickoffs. Seattle has now gone two straight games without a receiver covering kicks.
There is another possible help on the way in Irv Charles. After Week 4, he’ll be eligible to come off injured reserve.
He won’t factor on offense - he’s pushing 30 and has zero career targets - but the Seahawks brought him in because he’s supposed to be a useful special teams player when healthy. In 2024, Charles handled kick coverage for the New York Jets, and even though special teams numbers before 2025 came in a different kickoff world, he should still be able to handle double-digit snaps each week now that kickoffs are live so often.
Seattle has only allowed one touchdown drive after a kickoff, and that came on opening night against the New England Patriots. Even so, the hidden cost is obvious: when opponents keep starting with decent field position, a defense has less room to breathe, especially if the other team can force a punt and then pin Seattle back. Once an offense is already near midfield after a kickoff, the margin for error shrinks fast.
This isn’t the Seahawks’ biggest issue right now. The run game, pre-snap penalties, and red zone problems are still higher on the list. But this is one of those smaller edges that can quietly tilt a game, and right now it’s tilting against Seattle.
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