Seahawks' Super Bowl Season Marked by Dominant Pass Rush, Sack Avoidance

Seattle's offensive line and quarterback play helped the team achieve a historic sack differential in 2025.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 10:18pm

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The Seattle Seahawks had an impressive 2025 season, reaching the Super Bowl in part due to their dominant pass rush and ability to avoid sacks. The team's sack differential of +23 was one of the best in NFL history, with quarterback Sam Darnold posting a remarkably low sack rate. This was a dramatic turnaround from the Russell Wilson era, when the Seahawks often struggled with sacks. The offensive line and Darnold's pocket presence were key factors in the team's success.

Why it matters

The Seahawks' sack differential highlights how they were able to win in the trenches, a critical factor for any championship-caliber team. Their ability to get after the quarterback while protecting their own QB was a major reason they returned to Super Bowl glory after several down seasons.

The details

The Seahawks recorded 56 sacks in the 2025 season, including playoffs, while only allowing 33 sacks. This +23 sack differential was the second-best in the NFL since sacks became an official stat in 1982, trailing only the 2005 Seahawks. Quarterback Sam Darnold had a remarkably low 5.49% sack rate, a major improvement from his time with the Minnesota Vikings. The Seahawks' offensive line, led by Charles Cross and Grey Zabel, played a big role, as did Darnold's improved pocket presence and ability to get the ball out quickly.

  • The 2025 NFL season, including the playoffs, is when the Seahawks achieved this historic sack differential.

The players

Seattle Seahawks

An NFL team based in Seattle, Washington that reached the Super Bowl in 2025.

Sam Darnold

The Seahawks' starting quarterback in 2025, who had a remarkably low sack rate that season.

Charles Cross

An offensive lineman for the Seahawks who was a key part of their improved offensive line in 2025.

Grey Zabel

Another offensive lineman for the Seahawks who helped the team's offensive line become one of the best in the NFL in 2025.

John Benton

The Seahawks' offensive line coach, whose coaching was credited with the unit's strong performance in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“While there's a lot of potential for the Seahawks offensive line to be great in the long-term, the 2005 Seahawks had a pair of Hall of Fame starters in Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson, along with the very reliable Robbie Tobeck at center. We hope one day that Charles Cross and Grey Zabel are the next Walt and Hutch, but they aren't there yet.”

— Mookie Alexander, Author (fieldgulls.com)

“For all of the intermittent frustrations with the Seahawks offense, what made this year's passing game mostly aesthetically pleasing to watch was how frequently they were able to operate on schedule. I love improvisation as much as the next person, but I love clean pockets and quarterbacks who are in sync with their targets more.”

— Mookie Alexander, Author (fieldgulls.com)

What’s next

The Seahawks will look to build on their strong 2025 season and return to the Super Bowl in 2026, with their offensive line and quarterback play again being key factors to watch.

The takeaway

The Seahawks' historic sack differential in 2025 was a testament to their dominance in the trenches on both sides of the ball, a critical component of their Super Bowl run. Their ability to protect the quarterback while pressuring the opposing QB was a major reason for their success that season.