Seahawks return to field, look to 'run it forward' in Super Bowl defense

Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times on May 26, 2026

Published in Football

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RENTON, Wash. — Reminders of the Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots last February continue to grow for the Seattle Seahawks.

Last week, a new banner celebrating the victory featuring the names of every player and coach and some other team officials, was unveiled in the indoor facility at the VMAC, set to hang forever next to the one celebrating the 2013 team.

Later this spring, the team will hold a party for players, coaches and other personnel and rings will be handed out.

On the opening day of the 2026 season on Sept. 9 against the Patriots, the new banner at Lumen Field will also be unveiled.

But as the Seahawks took to the field Tuesday at the VMAC for their first Organized Team Activity of their offseason program, the message from coach Mike Macdonald was “that was then and this is now.”

In a meeting before the roughly two-hour workout held in what began as a steady rain and ended with the sun peeking through, Macdonald emphasized a theme that this team’s task is to “run it forward” in 2026 instead of simply trying to replicate what the Seahawks accomplished in 2025.

“It’s meaning our process and who we are,” Macdonald said. “I think this is going to be a conversation that we’re going to talk about consistently. I don’t think it’s a one-and-done type of conversation. Really it’s just how we talk about, how we operate all the time. It’s something that we’re having conversations with our team and our units every day about who we want to be and how we want to do things, and this situation is no different. It’s really nothing more or less than that.”

Those conversations, Macdonald said, include acknowledging the success of 2025 while also trying not to be content with it as the Seahawks attempt to become only the 10th team to repeat as Super Bowl champs and only the second since 2005 (the Kansas City Chiefs are the last team to repeat, doing so in 2023-24.

“We don’t avoid it (the Super Bowl),” Macdonald said. “But it’s not really the top of mind. There’s necessary times to talk about it, like the ring ceremony. We’ll be partying that night and having a great time and celebrating that team and those people. But it’s not really in our focus right now. The way I phrase it to the team is it’s something that could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Hopefully it’s more than once in a lifetime for our team.

“But that’s a thing that happened that we can cherish and we should be proud of because of the amount of work that it took and all the things that go into winning a Super Bowl. We should be really proud of that. But I think the thing that we find the joy in is what we’ve created and the way of life, what we’re trying to do here on a daily basis.“

Macdonald said he has “thought and long hard” about how best to approach the task of continuing to maintain the style of play the Seahawks achieved last season and said one commonality has been an ability to keep what worked while also continuing to evolve.

“I think when you look at some of these high-performing teams that have been able to do it over a long period of time, I think the common thread that you find is a standard that you feel responsible to uphold on a daily basis, and part of that standard here is chasing — it’s a spirit of evolution and a spirit of moving forward all the time,’’ he said. “That’s where our minds are. But (at the same time) giving us the freedom to move forward and have the space to kind of make each kind of new phase of the year our own and unique to us. There’s a balance there.”

Macdonald said he thinks it’s a balance the team has embraced well so far.

The offseason program is voluntary, so some players have not been in attendance for every day.

Macdonald said any absences have been clearly explained to the coaches including those for Tuesday when all but four players — veteran defensive linemen DeMarcus Lawrence, Derick Hall and Dante Fowler Jr., and running back Emanuel Wilson — were visible on the field.

Macdonald said any players who have needed time off for any reason have talked it over with coaches first.

“The guys that haven’t been here, they’ve communicated,” he said. “It’s been phenomenal. … Really happy with where guys are mentally. We’re just kind of all on a different planet right now, so we’ve got some guys that are taking some more reps than others, maybe some guys might not be here right now. But overall really positive day (of practice Tuesday).”

A few veterans had limited reps for various reasons, which is not uncommon this time of year.

“Some of the veterans are on a little bit of a timetable that we worked through,” Macdonald said. “But the spirit is there, attendance is there. … I’ve just been really pleased with every day’s work, and haven’t sensed an ounce of complacency, and that’s been really positive.”

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