The Seahawks are the defending champs in 2026, and they face a herculean task just to make the postseason, let alone win the Super Bowl.
The Seattle Seahawks will try to become the third team since 2004 to win back-to-back Super Bowls when they begin their 2026 season.
After slaying the New England Patriots last season, Mike Macdonald hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in just his second season as head coach.
Now, Seattle has gone from the hunter to the hunted, and the task ahead for the franchise isn't for the faint of heart.
We know that defending the Super Bowl title is nearly impossible, which is why so few teams have done it, but the Seahawks in 2026, after some roster changes, can still feel good about their chances.
Now, we are in July, so a lot can transpire over the course of training camp and the early part of the regular season, but Macdonald's team feels like it is capable of at least giving it a good shot at repeating.
But not everyone thinks so.
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks, who was a guest on Seattle Sports, detailed the brutal path the Seahawks have to walk just to get into the postseason in 2026, let alone win the Super Bowl.
“Going into that last week (of 2025) the San Francisco 49ers with all the injuries, they still were a team that had the opportunity to win the No. 1 seed,” Brooks said. “Then when you talk about the L.A. Rams, I think we all talked about the LA Rams and the Seattle Seahawks being necked up for who’s one or two or whatever.
“But think about that, three of the top teams in the league in your division. So if there is any slippage, the chasm can grow just because of how good the talent is, and that’s not even talking about the rest of the NFC.”
It is worth noting that both the Rams and 49ers won 12 games each last season, and Seattle won 14, so there is some serious talent in the division.
You could make the case that both other NFC West rivals have gotten stronger, and Seattle has weakened a little.
With Kenneth Walker out and a new offensive coordinator, how the Seahawks will look in 2026 is going to be a fascinating watch, because there is no margin for error at all for any of the three teams, such is the talent of their rivals.
It isn't often we talk about a division being a three-horse race, but the NFC West in 2026 certainly is that, and for the Seahawks, who clearly want to defend their Super Bowl title, it might be struggling just to make the playoffs.
