Is the Legion of Boom Back?
In the early 2010s, the Seattle Seahawks were a force to be reckoned with. Their offense, led by a young Russell Wilson, was potent, but their defense was what really shone. Filled with generational talent, nothing was scarier than their secondary. A defensive backfield consisting of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor struck fear into opponents, playing all over the field and delivering devastating hits. This defense led Seattle to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one by holding MVP Peyton Manning and the record-breaking Broncos’ offense, and came a Malcom Butler interception from winning the second. The defense earned the nickname “The Legion of Boom” for their style of play, a nod to their hard-hitting style.
In the years following their Super Bowl loss, Seattle lost their talent on defense piece by piece. The team went from allowing under 20 points per game for five years straight to allowing 23.6 points per game in Pete Carroll’s final two years coaching the team. The team had completely lost its defensive identity. With the hiring of former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, the defense immediately started to improve. In his first year as head coach, the defense took a small step forward, allowing two points per game less than the previous season. While the improvement was not major, it was evident that the Seahawks had plenty of young talent on the defensive side.
Through the first four games of the 2025 season, it has looked like Seattle has created a new version of the Legion of Boom. Much like the original version, the new secondary is full of late-round picks and undrafted free agents. Derion Kendrick is currently rated as the second-best corner in the NFL, according to PFF. Kendrick was an undrafted free agent who spent two seasons with the Rams before being picked up on waivers by Seattle. Josh Jobe, who has absolutely locked down top talent like DK Metcalf this year, was another undrafted free agent that Seattle saw the potential in. Cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Nehemiah Pritchett were also diamonds in the rough, both being picked in the fifth round of the draft.
While the secondary has been exceptional, it's not the only bright spot in Seattle’s defense this year. The pass rush has been monstrous, pressuring quarterbacks into making mistakes that the secondary can capitalize on. Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II lead the charge in the middle, both having 2.5 sacks through four games. If the defensive tackles don’t get to the quarterback first, it opens lanes for edge-rushers like Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu to track them down. This combination of pass-rush and exceptional secondary play has led Seattle to have its scariest defense in years, allowing only 16.8 points per game this year.
