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Forbes
5 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Shaun Alexander On Seattle Seahawks Winning More Games In 2025: ‘They're Primed To Do It'
Shaun Alexander is obviously one of the most pivotal figures in Seattle Seahawks franchise history. The 2005 NFL MVP helped put the Seahawks on the map by leading them to five straight playoff appearances, including their first Super Bowl game at the conclusion of his MVP season. Alexander ran for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns during the 2005 campaign, setting an NFL record for single-season rushing touchdowns at the time. Prior to Alexander's arrival in 2000, the Seahawks had been to the conference championship game just once and had never clinched a playoff berth in more than two consecutive seasons. 'It was an honor for me to come here playing in Seattle creating the winning culture that everybody's experienced,' says Alexander in a one-on-one interview. 'The Seahawks always had a great defense. I got here when Cortez Kennedy was the man, Defensive Player of the Year as a defensive tackle. They always had great fans. The 12th Man was already here, but the winning culture was not. Being a part of turning this culture to winning -- the five playoffs in a row, the four division wins in five years.' The Seahawks have obviously grown a lot as a franchise over the past two decades. Shortly after Alexander's departure in 2008 and his retirement following that season, Seattle hired Pete Carroll as their head coach. That quickly led to the Legion of Boom defense and the Seahawks' first Super Bowl win at the conclusion of the 2013 season. While many Seahawks greats have since emerged, including running back Marshawn Lynch, quarterback Russell Wilson and defensive stalwarts such as Richard Sherman, it all started with the winning culture that guys like Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck built in Seattle. It was a consistent winning culture that didn't exist for the franchise prior to their arrivals. 'We all retired, they bring in Pete and general manager John (Schneider), and they do it again, and they go win a Super Bowl,' says Alexander. 'The boys jumped in into a great culture. That was the 25 years – I came in at year 25 being with the Seahawks. They've been here this their 50th year. In those 25 years, what they got was Coach Holmgren, grabbing me and bringing Matt and drafting well in the draft and, and then we all leave and bring in Pete and John.' It's obvious the Seahawks have been one of the most successful NFL franchises over the past 25 years, with Seattle having the eighth-most wins in the league during that time frame. Furthermore, they have the ninth-best winning percentage over the past 20 seasons, with nine division titles and three Super Bowl appearances since the 2004 season. However, they've struggled to advance deep in the playoffs in recent years, failing to advance past the divisional round since the 2014 season – when they last advanced to the Super Bowl. Although the Seahawks have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, they went 10-7 last season during Mike Macdonald's first year in Seattle. With the addition of Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold and former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, there's hope that Seattle can break through the glass ceiling and emerge as one of the top teams in the NFC. Alexander speaks highly of the 38-year-old Macdonald, saying he's what the Seahawks need at head coach for the next decade or two. 'I feel like Coach Macdonald is not like Mike Holmgren, he's not like Pete Carroll, but he's what we need for these next 10-to-20 years, and it's going to take us into a great place,' says Alexander. ' I feel like when you take 10 wins for granted, you get bit and so I feel like everyone in the league's like, 'Oh yeah, okay, Seattle.' We won 10 games last year. We're going to keep getting better, go over the top of that this year.' The 47-year-old says the Seahawks are 'primed' to be better than they were last year with Macdonald continuing to build his vision of the team. He also mentions how Seattle brought in offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who previously coached Darnold when the two were with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. 'They're really primed to go do it,' says Alexander of the Seahawks this season. 'He's building a team that fits him and his style. When you let Geno (Smith) go, you bring in Sam Darnold, bringing a new offensive coordinator that fits you and your style. They look great in practice. I'm liking what I see out of them.' Alexander partnered with USAA for their Salute to Service boot camp during Seahawks training camp on Monday. The event saw the former MVP coach and mentor service members in football drills such as the 40-yard dash, broad jump, three-cone shuttle, receiving gauntlet and the QB arm challenge. Participants' scores were monitored with each member from the winning team receiving tickets for the Seahawks' November 9th game against the Arizona Cardinals. 'Today was a lot of fun being a part of the USA Salute to Service NFL boot camp,' says Alexander. 'It's a lot of fun to just be with guys that serve for our country. It has a special feeling to my heart, because my brother went to the army at 17, so I was probably like 10 years old. We know what it's like for family to leave and join the military.' The Seahawks great has previously partnered with USAA before and speaks glowingly of his sharing this experienced with military members. 'We know what it's like to hear the stories where it's in Germany, across the country, or whether it's in North Carolina or Texas,' says Alexander. 'All the drills and serving that he's doing. It was special to come back and tell the military service here, the Coast Guard and Army and just saying, 'Hey, we are so thankful for who you are and all this and all the things you've done for all the hard work.' Being able to take them and run them through NFL Combine type of drills was a lot of fun watching them burn it up and go for it. It was special.'
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2013 Seahawks are the 2nd best team of the last 25 years, according to ESPN
One of the benefits of time moving forward is the good starts to look great, and the great becomes legendary. Such is the case for the 2013 Seattle Seahawks. While the lone Super Bowl-winning team in franchise history will always be beloved in the Pacific Northwest, their place in NFL lore continues to rise across the collective consciousness of football aficionados everywhere. Recently, ESPN's Bill Barnwell ranked the 25 best teams from the last 25 years. The 21st century is a quarter complete, so why not examine which teams have stood out the most during this span? Seattle's faithful 12th Man will be thrilled to see the 2013 Seahawks rank very highly on this list, near the top even. According to Barnwell and ESPN, the 2013 Seahawks are the second best team in the NFL during the previous 25 years. The 2013 Seahawks trailed only the 2007 New England Patriots for the top spot. Super Bowl loss or not, it's hard to argue that Pats team wasn't an all-timer. Naturally, Barnwell waxed poetic about the Legion of Boom. Where else would you start? He elaborated on just how suffocating the defense was, and how the foundations for this success was built on the treasure trove of draft picks from 2010-2012. However, one aspect Barnwell points out that separates the Legion of Boom from other great defenses of this era (such as Baltimore and Tampa) was the fact the team was better overall, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Barnwell writes: This team had Marshawn Lynch running for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns before adding 288 yards and four more scores during the playoff run. Wilson averaged 8.2 yards per attempt, threw for 3,357 yards and added 539 more yards on the ground, all while making a sensibly priced sedan (just under $31,000) per game. Harvin and Sidney Rice, nominally the team's top two wideouts on paper because of their contracts, combined for 16 catches during the regular season because of injuries. Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse stepped in and held their own. This Seattle team often gets lumped in with the 2000 Ravens and 2002 Bucs with an assumption that the Legion of Boom carried them. Yes, they were the heart of the team, but it's not like Wilson and Co. were slouches on their side of the ball either. The reason the 2013 Seahawks narrowly missed out on the No. 1 spot was because Barnwell described them as "sloppy" at times that year... and it's hard to argue. Seattle often plays to their opponents level, for good and for ill. They had to survive in overtime against a Tampa team that was 0-7 going into that game, and barely squeaked past a bad Rams team 14-9 on Monday Night Football. Not to mention the ugly 17-10 home loss to Arizona despite intercepting Carson Palmer four times. No, they weren't pretty, but when it mattered this squad got the job done. Not for nothing, but the 2014 Seahawks did crack into the Top 25 at No. 23 overall.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
‘If you're a leader, it's in you.' Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks expected to step up
Jordyn Brooks had quite the first season in Miami. Not only was Brooks an iron man, starting all 17 games, he led the team in tackles with 143, the third-highest total in Dolphins franchise history since 2005. If it weren't for defensive tackle Zach Sieler's second consecutive double-digit sack season, Brooks likely would have won Dan Marino MVP award. In spite of the success Brooks had on the field, he still believes there's room for improvement. 'Focusing on the weaknesses,' Brooks said of his plan for organized training activities. 'Really dissecting the things that I was good at and the things that I didn't do too good at and focus on those things.' Arguably the biggest area where Brooks will have to grow is in leadership. Defensive tackle Calais Campbell is gone. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead is gone. And cornerback Jalen Ramsey will likely be gone after Sunday, the day that will give the Dolphins some cap flexibility once the deal is done. Although Brooks believes he's ready to step up as a leader, he understands it will take a collective effort. 'I wouldn't call it a challenge — just got to go be the leader that I am,' Brooks said Wednesday. 'I just feel like if you're a leader, it's in you. And it's not just myself — we've got several other guys who will be helping to lead this defense this year.' And he's right. Players such as Sieler and cornerback Kader Kohou will be asked to do more as well. Sieler, specifically, shouted out Brooks when asked about how the team plans to fill the leadership void. 'Total blessing to have [Campbell] here last year and so just to be able to carry off that for me up front and Jordyn [Brooks] and the guys in the back, I'm just really excited to see how this rolls,' Sieler said May 7. Originally drafted in 2020 by the Seattle Seahawks, Brooks had a great mentor in linebacker Bobby Wagner, one of the integral players of the heralded Legion of Boom defense in the early 2010s. The two seasons Brooks spent under the tutelage of Wagner were invaluable. 'He wasn't a guy who talked all the time, but he's very consistent in how he showed up to work,' Brooks said, later adding that 'I definitely took some of his leadership style as far as being the same guy every day.' After Wagner left for the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2022 season, Brooks spent the next two seasons in Seattle, putting together back-to-back seasons with at least 16 games played and more than 100 tackles. He joined the Dolphins in 2024 to be 'on a winning team' that 'could use my services.' 'He was like a big brother to me, and I think I got in the perfect situation to be able to learn under him and learn some routine things and how to prepare throughout the week to get myself ready to play an NFL game,' Brooks said of Wagner in March 2024 after signing with the Dolphins. 'And then all the off-the-field type of things. It was great learning under him and playing beside him.' Everything that Brooks learned under Wagner will be put to the test in 2025. Luckily, the Dolphins should have a solid pass rush thanks to the return of edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips to go along with Sieler and 2025 first-round pick Kenneth Grant. His familiarity with Weaver's system as well as the return of Tyrel Dodson, who started three games alongside Brooks in 2024, should also help. 'You got to be able to communicate, you got to know what everyone's doing so so from that standpoint, he's been great,' Brooks said of Dodson. With the host of new faces on defense, Brooks should be one of the guys that can help set the standard in 2025. 'As a leader, you got to be the example and I think the young guys — all the young guys that we got in — they'll follow behind us,' Brooks said.
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Legion of Boom veteran discusses pivotal moment from Super Bowl season
Legion of Boom veteran discusses pivotal moment from Super Bowl season The Seattle Seahawks are slated to face off against the Houston Texans in 2025, and on Monday Night Football no less! Seattle has only faced Houston a grand total of five times since the Texans came into existence, and the Seahawks hold a 4-1 record against them. These teams don't meet often, but when they do, it can be memorable. Take for example the greatest moment in this cross-conference rivalry: Seattle's 23-20 overtime win against Houston during the 2013 season. The Seahawks were 3-0, seeking their first ever 4-0 start in franchise history. Standing between them and a new milestone was a Texans team that was considered an early favorite in the AFC that year. After all, Houston finished 12-4 and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs the year prior. This was considered to be Seattle's first real test of the year. Well, it sure looked like the Seahawks were about to flunk said test, as the Texans had built a 20-3 lead at halftime. Seattle appeared to be on the verge of their first loss of the season, and potentially exposed as not quite the contender many had believed them to be. Late in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks did manage to claw their way back into the game, thanks to a touchdown run from Marshawn Lynch to cut Houston's lead to 20-13 with 7:43 left in the game. Still, it was not enough. With a little under three minutes to go, the Texans had made it to Seattle's 40-yard line and were looking to ice the victory... except Richard Sherman had something to say (as he often does) about it. Officially listed as a 58-yard return, Sherman's interception tied the game at 20-20, and sent into overtime. After trading some punts in the extended period, eventually the Seahawks claimed their 23-20 win thanks to a 45-yard field goal from kicker Stephen Hauschka. To the 12th Man - as well as fans and pundits across the country - it was the first sign this Seattle squad was more than legitimate. Turns out the team felt this way as well! Former Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond III, who was a member of the 2013 Legion of Boom, spoke about this play on Twitter. The LOB veteran gave some insight on the pick-six and what it meant to the team. The Seahawks may not have been down 20 going into the fourth, but they were still down 20-6. Truly, it wasn't just a remarkable comeback, it was one of the best defensive performances by the LOB all season long! Seattle shut Houston out over the final three quarters (including overtime) in the game.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Recapping the Raiders 2025 NFL Draft
Recapping the Raiders 2025 NFL Draft Teams and their fans are still in the phase of admiring the newest players joining the team from the college ranks. The Raiders welcomed 11 new prospects from this year's draft. So, let's look back at how the whole thing went down and just who will be trading in their college jerseys for Silver & Black. So, let's recap! Day 1 Coming into the draft, there were reports that a team in the top ten of the draft was in love with Colorado's Travis Hunter and was eager to trade up for him. That team turned out to the the Jacksonville Jaguars a fifth overall. They traded up with the Browns at pick number two to get Hunter. More on this later... So, about that Jaguars trade up... It was widely assume that had the Jaguars been unable to trade up, Hunter would have went to the Browns and the Jags would then have taken Jeanty at five. But after the trade, the Browns opted for Michigan DT Mason Graham, leaving Jeanty there for the Raiders to take at six. In Jeanty the Raiders got the consensus third overall prospect in this draft. Running back was the Raiders' biggest need, so the fit was natural. And while they got some flak for drafting a running back this high, considering the devaluation of the position, there were few other players in this draft that were more of a need and value combination than Jeanty. Coverage: WATCH: 64 minutes of Ashton Jeanty running the ball Ashton Jeanty NFL Draft scouting report Ashton Jeanty instantly became NFL 2nd highest paid RB Marshawn Lynch was blowing up Pete Carroll's phone following Jeanty pick Ashton Jeanty recalls moment he knew Raiders were going to draft him Raiders brass attended Ashton Jeanty's pro day Day 2 The Raiders were on the clock at 37. But Raiders GM John Spytek saw the value in this draft in the third round. So, when they were on the clock, they received a couple calls, and took the offer they got from Miami. Dolphins receive: pick 37, pick 143 (round 5) Raiders receive: pick 48, pick 98 (round 3), pick 135 (round 4) When pick 48 came up, the Raiders got more calls, so they opted to trade down again. This time to the tail end of round two. Texans receive: pick 48 Raiders receiver: pick 58, pick 99 (round 3) And finally, at pick 58 the Raiders stayed and made the pick The next biggest need for the Raiders was wide receiver. And in Bech they get one of the more intriguing prospects in this draft, right around where he was expected to go. Bech was on my list of the top five best WR fits for Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft. He's got a lethal combination of great hands and strength after the catch to fight through tackles. Coverage: Senior Bowl risers and fallers He is a former wide receiver, one of the biggest corners in this draft, and easily the most athletic. Including running a scorching 4.30 40. He comes to the Raiders as a perfect fit for Pete Carroll's defense, drawing comparisons to Legion of Boom great Richard. Sherman. As the end of the third came around, the Raiders had back-to-back picks to look forward to thanks to the two trades they made in the second round. There were reports in the days leading up to the draft that the Raiders top choice was Jeanty, but had he not been there, they would have shifted focus to offensive tackle. GM John Spytek likes drafting offensive linemen. And the Raiders could use the help. So, with the two additional picks, they doubled up on the line. Round 3, pick 98: Caleb Rogers, OG, Texas Tech Rogers was a four-year starting tackle at Texas Tech. But he was viewed as a guard at the next level. A lot of teams were looking closely at him as a great tackle-to-guard conversion in the mid-rounds. And so, with the first of their two low third rounders, the Raiders added some talent to the interior offensive line to hopefully open up some holes for Ashton Jeanty to run through. Coverage: Caleb Rogers hung up on Pete Carroll during draft call Round 3, pick 99: Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary And in two picks, the Raiders addressed both of the need positions on the offensive line. They got their center in last year's draft (Jackson Powers-Johnson) along with tackle DJ Glaze. Now they get some competition at right tackle, with the loser taking the swing tackle job. The 49ers had the next pick and word is they were looking to draft one of either Rogers or Grant only to watch as their old NFC West rival Pete Carroll and their old Bay Area rival Raiders stole both of them. The Niners instead moved away from the line, taking CB Upton Stout. Coverage: Pete Carroll details specific roles for Raiders Day 2 picks Updated Raiders depth chart after first two days of NFL Draft Day 3 The Raiders came into the day having addressed each of their top five needs with their five picks on days two and three. That's a good feeling. So, they could start to build depth with their day three picks. After doubling up on the OL to end day two, they got another wideout to begin day three. And like the OL picks, Thornton is a very different type of receiver to round two pick Jack Bech. Bech is a versatile receiver, but he thrives as a big slot. Thornton is an X receiver. He is a deep threat. Also unlike Bech, Thornton is a raw physical talent. He's a towering 6-5 receiver who ran a blazing 4.3 40. He had just 26 catches last season at Tennessee, but averaged over 25 yards per catch. That's the kind of raw ability you take a chance on day three. The final piece to the trades the Raiders made in the second round was a move up from pick 143 in the fifth round to pick 135 in the fourth round. For Spytek, it was time to address the other side of the line. Hemingway is a tweener type of lineman. He played across the line at South Carolina. He was a day three pick mainly because he does several things well, but isn't ideal for any of them. He comes in at 284 pounds and has issues against the run. Which would limit his ability to play early downs. He can play defensive end, but he is a bit big for that role. So, the Raiders will need to find a role for him to make use of his interior pass rush abilities while not exposing his deficiencies against the run. The trade left the Raiders without a pick in round five. So, they had to wait until their original pick atop of round six. This former tight end converted to the defense, making him a work in progress. He is athletic enough that Lane Kiffin would use him as a wildcat quarterback and fullback. And he scored seven touchdowns in that role. But most likely the Raiders would prefer to have him carve out a primary role on the defensive line. He is certainly athletic enough. With the first of two round six compensatory picks, the Raiders grabbed a sleeper pick. Tommy Mellott led Montana State to the FCS National Champion ship game last season, but he wasn't considered a draftable quarterback. Thing is though, he is a supreme athlete with 4.39 speed and all the character traits the Raiders new regime values. Vegas as well as several other teams had Mellott on their radar for a move to receiver and return specialist. Just the type of player you take a chance on late in the draft. Hey, so about that FCS National Championship, the other quarterback in that game was this guy. And he was the winning QB. And in this case, the Raiders do like him as a quarterback prospect. The Raiders acquired Geno Smith in trade with the Seahawks to be their starter, which meant they weren't desperate to find a QB in this draft. But adding a QB in the draft was still a priority. Reports say they had interest in Alabama's Jalen Milroe. But as it happened, it was the pick the Raiders sent to Seattle for Geno Smith that was used to take Milroe six picks ahead of the Raiders late in the third round. So, if that's where the Raiders would have taken Milroe that option was out. They then passed on Will Howard four times because their sights were set on Miller. At this point in the draft, the only need position the Raiders had yet to address was linebacker. And they used their final pick to get LIndberg. Another longtime starter -- which seemed to be a theme with many of the Raiders selections -- he will compete for snaps at both linebacker spots, but most likely be a special teams guy in the short term. Following their final pick at 222, the Raiders immediately began working on signing undrafted free agents. You can see all the Raiders undrafted free agents here.
