The final curtain might have closed on our 2025 Super Bowl-winning Seahawks, but the lessons from that legendary squad are heating up for this new season. If you tuned into the “Making a Champion” series, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The last three episodes, zeroing in on wideout Rashid Shaheed, QB Sam Darnold, and our Head Coach Mike Macdonald, wrapped up the whole vibe of that championship team in a bow, perfectly setting the stage as the slate gets wiped clean for another run.
“Foot On The Gas” is the Only Way for the Emerald City
Shaheed, man, he didn’t mince words about the NFC West. He told us it took him “two drives to realize how serious this team was and how on track we were to our goals.” Two drives! Think about that intensity from the jump. He talked about “the intensity and the urgency that everybody had in the building, from the coaches to the players: everyone just believed in one another.” That’s not talk, that’s the core of what made that 2025 team special. Our coaches, led by Coach Macdonald, clearly instilled a “foot on the gas” mindset. Shaheed put it plain: whether up big, like against the San Francisco 49ers, or in a tie game, you stay even keeled. You keep grinding because “this game could flip like that, as we’ve seen. so, just keep the foot on the gas and you know, never let up. That’s the mindset we’ve had, and that’s how we’re able to finish games so strong.” That grit is exactly what we expect from our Hawks at Lumen Field.
Darnold’s Secret and the Unbreakable Bond
QB Sam Darnold echoed that championship mentality, but from a different angle: blocking out the noise. He said you can’t give into anything, good or bad, because “you’re investing in it.” If you validate the good, you’re subconsciously giving weight to the bad. For Darnold, it was “not paying attention to what anyone said. That really changed things for me, and I started doing that a few years ago.” He gets it. Football is the “ultimate team sport,” and caring what outsiders say goes against everything he loves about it. He knows “it takes a team to have success. It’s up to me to be smart with the football and put the ball in the end zone.” And speaking of team, a huge theme across all the interviews was the crazy special bond this squad had. All three guys came from different places, but they all felt this team was different, a true brotherhood that transcended individual backgrounds.
As we dive into this new season, looking forward to every snap at Lumen Field, that “foot on the gas” mentality and the unbreakable team bond aren’t just memories from a Super Bowl run, they’re the blueprint. This isn’t just about winning games, it’s about continuing that championship culture. We’ve seen what this team can do when they believe in each other and shut out the outside world. The expectation is set, the standard is high, and the 12s are ready to ride with this team on another unforgettable journey.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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