The Seattle Seahawks were on top of the football world seven months ago.
Now comes the hard part.
Can they do it again?
Seattle enters 2026 trying to avoid the dreaded Super Bowl hangover, and there are plenty of reasons to believe this team is still one of the NFL’s best.
It starts with the defense.
Seattle allowed an NFL-best 17.2 points per game last season, finished first in defensive EPA per play and then completely overwhelmed New England in Super Bowl LX. Most of that championship core is back.
But there is one major question.
What happens without Kenneth Walker III?
Walker went from Super Bowl MVP to signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, leaving Seattle without the running back who helped carry it to a championship.
Normally, Zach Charbonnet would be the obvious replacement.
Except he’s opening the season on the PUP list while recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in January.
That puts plenty of pressure on rookie Jadarian Price.
Seattle spent the No. 32 overall pick on the former Notre Dame running back, and with Walker gone and Charbonnet unavailable, Price should immediately have an opportunity alongside George Holani and Emanuel Wilson. The Seahawks have praised his explosiveness throughout camp, but Wednesday will be his first actual NFL game action.
That’s a lot to ask from a rookie.
Fortunately, Seattle still has Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and one of the nastiest defenses in football surrounding him.
The Seahawks don’t need Price to immediately become Kenneth Walker.
They just need the running game to remain dangerous enough that the rest of this offense can function like it did during last year’s championship run.
Because everyone knows Seattle was elite last season.
Wednesday night begins the process of proving it still is.
