During a defensive meeting earlier this month, defensive coordinator Aden Durde asked for everyone in the room who had recorded a sack this season to raise his hand.
Throughout the room, more than a dozen players, ranging from edge rushers to interior linemen to linebackers to defensive backs raised a hand.
"It's definitely a unique thing here," defensive end Leonard Williams said. "At one point our defensive coordinator, AD, asked the guys to raise their hand if they got at least a half a sack in the room and you see, the way we're distributed in our defensive meeting it's the secondary system in the front, the linebackers, and then the D-line, you see guys from every level raising their hand, and I think that's pretty rare."
After Sunday's win in Tennessee, in which Derick Hall and Patrick O'Connell recorded their first sack of the season—and first of his career for O'Connell—the Seahawks now have 17 players who have recorded at least half a sack this season. That's the most in the NFL, ahead of Denver, who has 16 players with at least half a sack, and Atlanta and Tampa Bay, who have 15.
The Seahawks also have five players with at least three sacks in Williams (6), Byron Murphy II (6), Uchenna Nwosu (5.5), DeMarcus Lawrence (4) and Drake Thomas (3). That's tied for the second highest total of players with three-plus sacks behind the Falcons and Broncos, who each have six.
The Seahawks have had a great pass rush all season under Durde and head coach Mike Macdonald, and currently rank fourth in the league in sacks with 36, and according to NFL Next Gen Stats, they're third in pressure rate at 40.1 percent. And what makes their pass rush particularly unique and effective is the way Macdonald disguises who is rushing and who is dropping into coverage. The Seahawks don't often blitz—their 22 percent blitz rate is the sixth lowest in the league, per Next Gen Stats—but they do confuse offenses when it comes to determining which four players are rushing on any particular play.
There are multiple positives to involving players from all three levels of the defense as pass rushers. The first, and most obvious, is that it is effective—it's a lot harder for an offensive line to know who to block if there are seven or eight players on the line of scrimmage and only four might be rushing on any given play. But another positive is that it highlights something Macdonald emphasizes with his defense on a regular basis, which is that it takes all 11 players to rush the quarterback. That can mean that the players on the back end doing their job in coverage creates time for defensive players to get home, but it can also mean that literally all 11 players can be asked to rush the passer.
Durde said the point of having players raise his hand in that meeting was "To show how important it is to understand how you have to do your job when you rush the passer. Mike says it all the time that it's like a '12 as One' pass rush. Everyone is a rusher, and everyone is a dropper in this defense, and to do that, it comes with responsibility. You can't go outside. Pass rushing is a little great because you follow lines, but you create space. You are attacking somebody, so you have to play off each other. That understanding of doing that down after down and doing it as a unit, that's what we were talking about."
As effective as Seattle's scheme is when it comes to generating pressure, it also takes buy in from everyone, and in particular from the defensive front. The Seahawks have a lot of really talented pass rushers, yet none are among the league leaders in sacks because of the way Macdonald's defense shares the wealth, so to speak. Derick Hall, for example, is having an outstanding season, yet his sack last week was his first.
"That's what's so special here is you don't see as much jealousy," Williams said. "You see a lot of camaraderie, a lot of competition, but at the same time, even for a guy like Derick Hall, who just got his first sack, whenever he's seen one of his peers or teammates get a sack, leading up to his, he's the first one in there celebrating with them. And like I just said, regardless of who gets the sack on third down, overall, we're excited to have a good defense. We're excited to get off the field in clutch situations. So even if it's Spoon (Devon Witherspoon) getting the sack on a blitz, although I want to get that sack, I'm still going to be happy that he got it. He's a part of our defense and we all root for each other."
Seahawks players practiced on Wednesday, November 26 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center as they prepare for the upcoming Week 13 matchup vs. the Vikings.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) and safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili (95) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili (95) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna (92) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tyler Hall (35) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin (24) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (50) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Chris Paul Jr. (49) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (42) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Velus Jones Jr. (32) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tyler Hall (35) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) and running back Velus Jones Jr. (32) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks fullback Robbie Ouzts (40) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Myles Gaskin (33) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Myles Gaskin (33) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Velus Jones Jr. (32) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Velus Jones Jr. (32) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Velus Jones Jr. (32) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (37) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks wide receiver Cody White (82) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks safety D'Anthony Bell (23) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
The Seahawks practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks running back Cam Akers (30) practiced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
