Seattle’s disruptive defensive tackle sets his sights on a double-digit sack total to cement his status among the NFL's elite.
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II is coming off the best season of his young NFL career, but he's not satisfied with where he stands.
Murphy recently addressed conversations surrounding his lack of All-Pro recognition, and while he made it clear those honors matter to him, his response wasn't about frustration or excuses. Instead, the former first-round pick pointed to the one thing he believes will help him earn those accolades in the future: improving his game.
"I want to be All-Pro... I want 10 plus sacks because I know I’m that type of player," Murphy told Wyman and Bob of Seattle Sports. "I know I can be the best D-Tackle in this league. In order to do that, I got to make strides each and every day. Just work on my game... I’m aiming high."
It's the kind of mentality Seahawks fans should love to hear from one of the franchise's most important young players.
After entering the league with high expectations in 2024, Murphy took a significant step forward during the 2025 season. He became a disruptive force in the middle of Seattle's defensive front, consistently creating pressure, clogging running lanes, and making life difficult for opposing offenses. His emergence was a major reason the Seahawks defense continued trending in the right direction under head coach Mike Macdonald.
He racked up 62 total tackles, seven sacks, and seven tackles for loss in his sophomore season, and he became a crucial part of one of the best defenses in the entire NFL.
Because of that production, many believed Murphy deserved more recognition on a national level. Interior defensive linemen often have a difficult time gaining the same attention as players at more glamorous positions, but Murphy's impact didn't go unnoticed by those who closely followed the league.
Still, Murphy isn't interested in spending the offseason debating award voting.
Instead, he has taken a much more straightforward approach. If he wants to be viewed among the NFL's elite defensive tackles and receive the honors that come with that status, he believes the answer is to become an even better player.
That mindset speaks volumes about where Murphy is in his development.
If Murphy continues progressing the way he has since arriving in Seattle, he may not have to wait much longer for the rest of the NFL to recognize what Seahawks fans are already seeing every Sunday.
