Rashid Shaheed Has Big Game, Kick Return Touchdown Was Momentum Shift

Receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed had his first big game as a Seahawk in Seattle’s 37-9 win over Atlanta.

Dec 07, 2025 at 05:31 PM

Ari Horton

Seahawks.com Writer

"Let's return this kickoff. Let's go score a touchdown."

Those are the words that Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said to his team during halftime of Sunday's game. Seattle would be receiving the ball coming out of halftime after winning the coin toss and deferring at the beginning of the matchup. And whether he knew it at the time or no, Macdonald's words would prove to be very powerful, as returner Rashid Shaheed returned the second half opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. More important than the words was the time and preparation put in beforehand for Seattle to feel like it could go return a kick.

"We just knew that we were going to have an opportunity coming out of halftime based off the film that we watched," Shaheed said. "We knew that we were going to have opportunity to score and that's what we did. We had perfect calls and that's a testament to our coaches and how they get us prepared."

They kick return in itself was a great play, but it also provided a big energy shift that Seattle needed coming into the second half.

"That's huge," Cooper Kupp said on the return. "It's just for momentum. Just the kickoff of just the momentum going into that second half the energy in the locker room just be, hey, we got to make these, not so much adjustments but we need to fix the mistakes. And then people go out there and like, man, shoot. Start things off with a seven-point swing off the field goal in to end the first half. So that's a big deal."

Although the kick return was the splash play on the day for Shaheed, he also had his first big day in the passing game as a Seahawk. He finished the day with four catches for 67 yards to go with his kick-return touchdown.

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"You felt him all the way since we traded for him," Macdonald said. "But finally, the ball finds him. Then the return game, as soon as he breaks through that first level, there's no way anyone's going to catch him. He made some great plays in conversion downs, too, which are really, really important."

Seattle knew Shaheed would be an addition to the Seahawks offense and it wasn't a question of if he was going to contribute, but just a matter of when.

"Obviously, he had a huge kick return, but he makes plays all the time at practice," quarterback Sam Darnold said. "For him to actually be able to come out here and have success the way that he's been doing. He's been executing at a high level throughout these games ever since he's gotten here, he just hasn't had necessarily the opportunities that other guys have had. The fact that he finally got his today was special to see."

With a pass catcher like Shaheed, it helps other receivers on the team, including Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

"He can run every single route and his speed is dangerous," Smith-Njigba said. "So team's got to respect that, especially if you got eyes on me or whoever he's going to spring open and just when opportunity, when hard work meets opportunity, I know he's going to shine. And you saw a little bit of that today. So the future is bright for him in this offense."

This was Shaheed's fifth game as a Seahawk and his connection with Darnold is only going to continue to get stronger and he says "timing" is where he's seen the most growth.

"Just knowing where I'm going to be and what he's expecting," he said. "That takes time to build and I feel like we've grown a good amount in the little time I've been here."