The Seattle Seahawks, fresh off a Super Bowl championship, are set to open their 2026 season this Wednesday against the New England Patriots. Yet, even with the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the case, Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano has already declared our “quiet Seahawks” as winners before the first snap of the new season.
The Underdog Mindset Strikes Again
You’d think defending champs would be front and center, with all eyes on the Emerald City, right? But SI’s Manzano points out that even with the ‘Hawks on Hard Knocks, everyone’s still fixated on the *other* team from the NFC Championship game. Yeah, the Los Angeles Rams, who we absolutely smoked, are apparently the “overwhelming Super Bowl favorite.” Manzano nailed it: “Despite being on Hard Knocks, the bulk of the spotlight was on the team they beat in the NFC championship game.” And you know what? That’s precisely how Mike Macdonald’s crew loves it. We thrive when we’re counted out, don’t we? Manzano added, “However, this could be a good thing for Mike Macdonald’s crew. They usually thrive when they’re being counted out.” This team doesn’t need endless hype. They just need a field, a ball, and an opponent to prove everyone wrong.
New Faces, Same Championship Drive
So, what makes us “winners” in SI’s eyes, even after bringing home the hardware? We brought back a ton of the core talent that secured that Vince Lombardi Trophy last season. Losing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, and Boye Mafe stings, no doubt. But the front office reloaded smart, adding young talent and critical veteran depth, all while making sure that strong defensive core stayed rock-solid. They even extended several important players, locking them down for another deep championship push. The biggest shake-up was on the coaching side, with Brian Fleury stepping in as offensive coordinator. He’s taking over for Klint Kubiak, who moved on to become the Raiders’ head coach. Fleury is tasked with maintaining that offense’s proven foundation while injecting his own fresh ideas. The Rams went all out, bringing in Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Aaron Donald. But Manzano isn’t flinching when it comes to the Seahawks’ roster, confidently stating it’s “worthy of being confident in for another Super Bowl run in 2026.” We’ve got the talent, the drive, and the pedigree.
Wednesday, we kick off against the Patriots, starting our epic title defense. The rest of the league can sleep on us, talk about the Rams all they want. But our Hawks are getting credit from Sports Illustrated for being winners even before the season fully begins. The Emerald City is ready. The rest of the NFL is about to find out exactly what that means. Let’s go, 12s!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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