Foundation (1969-1976)
In February 1969, Minneapolis-born businessman Wayne Field founded the Seattle Sea Lions Management Corp. to bring a new NFL franchise to Seattle. He was able to attract former football player Hugh McElhenny, a native of the region, as an investor and made him vice president and general manager of the proposed franchise. Toward the end of that year, it was decided to rename the Sea Lions the Kings, which was thought to be a more appropriate name since the new stadium would be built near King Street Station. However, they were given a rival. On June 15, 1972, Seattle Professional Football Inc. , a group of Seattle businessmen and local politicians, announced it would seek an NFL team for the city. The consortium's main partner was the Nordstrom family, owners of the department store chain of the same name. On June 5, 1974, Seattle was awarded the contract for a new team by the NFL. After it became apparent that the cost of a new team would be $23 million to $24 million instead of the $10 million initially estimated, the Kings withdrew from contract negotiations on October 29, 1974. On December 5, 1974, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle awarded ownership to Seattle Professional Football Inc. with Lloyd Nordstrom as the principal owner. The new franchise began play for the 1976 season as part of an expansion of the league from 26 to 28 teams. The consortium paid the NFL $16 million for the licensing rights.
On March 5, 1975, John Thompson, a former board member of the Seattle-based University of Washington, was hired as general manager of the still-unnamed team. The name Seattle Seahawks was decided on June 17, 1975, after a public contest involving more than 20,000 people with over 1,700 suggestions. On November 4, 1975, game schedules for the 1976 and 1977 seasons for the also-new Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks were decided. These called for them to play one game against each team from their conference and one against each other. After one season, the two teams were to switch conferences and play each team from their new conference in addition to playing each other. Afterwards, a decision was to be made on the future situation of the two franchises after evaluating their performances and television results. Thompson signed Dave Williams as the Seahawks' first player on November 24, 1975. On January 3, 1976, he hired Jack Patera, a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach and former linebacker, as the Seahawks' first head coach after a selection process involving over a dozen prospects. Five days later, they signed quarterback Jim Zorn. Before the Seahawks even played their first game, Lloyd Nordstrom died of a heart attack on January 20, 1976. His brother Elmer Nordstrom took over as owner. The expansion draft, which allowed the Seahawks to select the first of 39 players released by existing teams, took place on March 30-31, 1976. In the following 1976 NFL Draft, the Seahawks received the second pick, selecting defensive tackle Steve Niehaus.
The initial euphoria (1976-1979)
Before the season began, the Seahawks made a trade that defined the early years. For an eighth-round draft pick in the 1977 NFL Draft, they received wide receiver Steve Largent, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, from the Houston Oilers. The Seahawks' first game was against the San Francisco 49ers on August 1, 1976, and they lost 20-27. The Seahawks recorded their first win in the fifth game of the preseason when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 17-16 on their own field on August 29. The Seahawks won their first game of the regular season on Oct. 17 against the Buccaneers in Tampa. They followed that up three weeks later with their first home win, 30-13 over the Atlanta Falcons on November 7. Those two wins were the only ones in the inaugural season, which ended with a record of two wins and 12 losses. The Seahawks produced both the NFC Defensive and NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year in defensive tackle Niehaus and quarterback Zorn. They also hosted the Pro Bowl at the Kingdome. For the first time in its history, the Pro Bowl sold out.
For the 1977 season, the Seahawks moved from the NFC West to the AFC West. Seattle started with four losses before picking up their first win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30-23. Two weeks later, they won 56-17 against the Buffalo Bills. The Seahawks finished the 1977 season with five wins and nine losses, a then-record for expansion teams in their second year.
The 1978 season was the first time the Seahawks had a positive record, with nine wins and seven losses. Highlights of the season were the two wins against the Oakland Raiders. It was the first time in 13 years that a team beat Oakland twice in one season. At season's end, fullback David Sims had the most touchdowns in the league with 15, Largent became the Seahawks' first representative to the Pro Bowl, and Head Coach Patera was named Coach of the Year.
The 1979 season was the first time two Seahawks games were televised nationally by ABC. This was done as part of the Monday Night Football broadcast. After losing four of their first five games, the Seahawks bounced back to win their first Monday Night game, 31-28 over the Atlanta Falcons. They won that one against the Atlanta Falcons, 31-28, but in the following game they lost 24-0 to the Los Angeles Rams at home in the Kingdome and had a "space gain" of -7 yards - a minus record in NFL history. The Seahawks won five of their last six games and finished the season with a record of nine wins and seven losses.
Years of disillusionment (1980-1982)
The Seahawks' 1980 season began moderately with four wins in the first seven games. This was followed by a nine-game losing streak, the longest in franchise history. The season ended with a record of four wins and twelve losses. It was the Seahawks' first season in which they did not win a single home game. The Seahawks became the first team since the American Football League (AFL) merged with the National Football League (NFL) to allow safeties in three consecutive games.
The 1981 season began with a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, bringing their season-long losing streak to ten games. A 13-10 win against their Denver rivals on the second day of the season ended the streak, but the Seahawks went on to lose the next five games. They were able to bounce back afterwards, winning five of the final nine games to end the season with six wins and ten losses. The season produced a defensive hopeful in safety Kenny Easley, who was named AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The 1982 season began with two losses before being suspended for 57 days due to a player strike. During this time, management took action and replaced Jack Patera and general manager John Thompson with Mike McCormack, who had previously been a head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Colts, among others. The Seahawks finished with a record of four wins and five losses, and McCormack remained in Seahawks management after the season as president and general manager.
The Chuck Knox Era (1983-1991)
The first play-offs
With the hiring of Chuck Knox, the longtime head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills, for the 1983 season, there were changes in the system of play and personnel. The focal point of his offense was the running game centered around rookie running back Curt Warner. Along with Steve Largent, quarterback Dave Krieg, who gradually replaced Jim Zorn, and the invigorated defense of Jacob Green and Kenny Easley, he led the Seahawks to the playoffs for the first time in their history. In the wild-card round, they beat the Denver Broncos, led by rookie quarterback John Elway, 31-7, before the Miami Dolphins fell to the Seahawks 20-27 the following week. The Seahawks' season ended in the AFC Championship Game, which they lost 14-30 to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the Los Angeles Raiders.
The 1984 season began when Curt Warner was seriously injured in the first game against the Cleveland Browns and he was out for the entire season, jeopardizing the rest of his career. With the running back out, Knox changed his system of play and put his emphasis on the passing game, earning him the nickname "Air Knox." Chuck Knox led the Seahawks to the playoffs with twelve wins in four losses thanks to a good defense and passing game led by Dave Krieg and Steve Largent. The 45-0 win on game ten against the Kansas City Chiefs received special attention as the Seahawks set an NFL record with four interceptions returned for a touchdown in a game, including two by Dave Brown. In the wild-card round, Seattle beat the defending champion Los Angeles Raiders 13-7, but they couldn't get past the Miami Dolphins with Dan Marino in the next round, losing 31-10.
In 1985, the Seahawks missed the playoffs with a record of eight wins and eight losses. Curt Warner had recovered and the defense of Green, Easley, Brown and Jeff Bryant allowed fewer points. But faltering performances and numerous mistakes kept the Seahawks from winning more games. Kicker Norm Johnson, for example, made only 14 of 25 field goals, and Dave Krieg, in his second season, earned a quarterback rating of 116.4 points in the eight wins, but in eight losses he averaged only 40.3. Despite a better record of ten wins to six losses, the Seahawks again failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 1986 season. They were the only team to beat both Super Bowl participants that year.
In 1987, the trade press had high hopes for the Seahawks. Highly touted linebacker Brian Bosworth was drafted. However, the team failed to live up to expectations. After starting the season with another player strike, the Seahawks made the playoffs as a wild card team with a record of nine wins and six losses. In the wild card round, they lost 20-23 after overtime to the Houston Oilers.
In the 1988 season, the team won the AFC West for the first time with a record of nine wins and seven losses. However, in the first playoff game, the Seahawks lost to the eventual Super Bowl participant Cincinnati Bengals, 13-21. The team was weakened that season by the departures of strong safety Kenny Easley, linebacker Fredd Young and wide receiver Daryl Turner. Cornerback Terry Taylor also became the first Seahawks player to be suspended for doping. Ken Behring bought the franchise that year from the original owners, the Nordstrom family, for $88 million. After the season, he fired general manager Mike McCormack and replaced him with former Raiders head coach Tom Flores.
Unsuccessful redesign
Prior to the 1989 season, the Seahawks' roster was rebuilt and a total of 22 new players, including 14 rookies, found their place. The Seahawks' special teams were considered particularly good and the pass defense was also one of the best in the league. On the fifth play of the game, James Jefferson returned a Kansas City Chiefs kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, the longest scoring drive in franchise history to that point. The Seahawks finished the season with seven wins and nine losses, missing the playoffs.
The 1990 season represented an upheaval for the Seahawks, as high performers Largent, who ended his career, and Warner, who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, left the team. This weakening of the offense was one reason for the Seahawks' mediocre performance this season. Despite a defense that allowed the second fewest points in the league, they failed to win many games. They lost all of their first three games of the season and were able to catch themselves late, winning five of their last six games. The season ended with nine wins and seven losses, narrowly missing the playoffs.
In the 1991 NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected quarterback Dan McGwire in the first round to become the Seahawks' new wideout. McGwire disappointed, however, and made only one appearance in the 1991 season, throwing an interception and being replaced at halftime. The Seahawks' performance that season was very inconsistent. First they lost three of their first four games, then they won four of their next five, lost five of their last seven games, and finished the season with seven wins and nine losses. Due to the poor results of the last few years and differences in playing philosophy between Knox and Behring, the head coach was fired on December 27, 1991.
Turbulent years (1992-1998)
On January 6, 1992, Behring announced that he had hired Tom Flores as his new head coach. The 1992 season under Flores became the Seahawks' worst to that point. They did not have a good quarterback, averaged under ten points per game with 140, and finished the season with a record of two wins to fourteen losses. Defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy performed well, recording fourteen sacks in his third season and being named Defensive Player of the Year.
With the second pick in the draft, the Seahawks attempted a fresh start at the quarterback position for the 1993 season. They selected Rick Mirer from the University of Notre Dame. Mirer progressed in his first year and looked like the quarterback of the future. He led the Seahawks to six wins and ten losses and was named the AFC Rookie of the Year. However, the rest of his career with the Seahawks was very inconsistent, and he was traded out several times and traded to the Chicago Bears for a first-round pick in 1997.
For the 1994 season, the Seahawks fielded the youngest team in the league. The season began successfully for the Seahawks as they won three of their first four games. However, a six-game losing streak followed before they finished the season with six wins and ten losses and missed the playoffs. The season was particularly marked by injuries, which mostly affected the Seahawks' secondary. The sad highlight was a car accident that injured three Seahawks players and even left defensive tackle Michael Frier a paraplegic. After the disappointing season, Tom Flores was replaced by Dennis Erickson, the head coach of the University of Miami.
The 1995 season got off to an encouraging start for the Seahawks as Steve Largent became the first player to play exclusively for the Seahawks to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Athletically, things started off worse as the Seahawks won only two games in the first half of the season. However, they scored six wins in their final eight games and finished the season with eight wins and eight losses. Wide receiver Joey Galloway, drafted in the first round, stood out, setting several Seahawks rookie records and league-wide season bests.
In January 1996, Ken Behring announced his intention to move the Seahawks to Los Angeles, which had just lost its two teams - the Raiders and the Rams. There, the Seahawks would play at Anaheim Stadium beginning with the 1996 season. Behring cited safety concerns at the Kingdome in the event of an earthquake as a reason to terminate the contract with King County, the owners of the Kingdome, which extended into 2005. However, this was not legally possible. Nevertheless, Behring moved the Seahawks' offices to Anaheim in the spring of 1996.
Behring then decided to sell the Seahawks to Paul Allen, one of the founders of Microsoft. Allen tied his commitment to the requirement that the Seahawks be provided with a new stadium. A special referendum found a majority and thus the preservation of the Seahawks for the Seattle region was guaranteed. Athletically, things went moderately for the Seahawks. The season began with three losses, all against division opponents. In the meantime, they had a record of five wins and five losses, but lost four of their last six games to miss the playoffs.
The 1997 season began with a quarterback change after Mirer was traded and veteran Warren Moon was signed in his place. Undrafted free agent Jon Kitna was signed as the backup quarterback. On the offensive line, the Seahawks were able to bolster themselves with the first-round pick of the draft, future Hall of Fame member Walter Jones. The Seahawks won six of their first ten games before a four-game losing streak put them out of playoff contention. The team won their final two games to finish the season with eight wins and eight losses.
Before the 1998 season began, Allen gave head coach Dennis Erickson an ultimatum that he had to make the playoffs or be fired. The season began with three wins before success waned and the team finished the season with eight wins and eight losses once again. Erickson was then fired and replaced by Mike Holmgren, who had previously coached the Green Bay Packers to success.
Recovery under Mike Holmgren (1999-2007)
Back in the play-offs
Under Holmgren, who served as both head coach and general manager, the Seahawks got off to a good start in their first season together. They won eight of their first ten games, but then only one of their last six. Still, they won the AFC West with a record of nine wins to seven losses and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1988. The Seahawks lost their playoff game to the Miami Dolphins 17-20.
In the 2000 season, Joey Galloway, who had missed almost the entire previous season, was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys for first-round picks in the 2000 and 2001 drafts. With the pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, the Seahawks took running back Shaun Alexander from the University of Alabama. However, he didn't pan out in his first season and was only a backup behind Ricky Watters. Due to ongoing salary cap issues, the Seahawks had to cut nine starters from the preseason before the season began. Athletically, things didn't go well either, as the Seahawks lost seven of their first nine games. They did improve towards the end of the season, posting a record of six wins and ten losses overall, but missed the playoffs.
For the 2001 season, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was signed by Holmgren's old team, the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks brought former Super Bowl winner Trent Dilfer to Seattle to replace the still inexperienced Hasselbeck. Alexander could become the starter at the running back position after an injury to Watters. He rushed for 266 total yards in the ninth against the Oakland Raiders, including an 88-yard run, both franchise records. Athletically, the Seahawks improved from the preseason, winning nine of their sixteen games, but still missed the playoffs.
Years of great changes
In 2002, the Seahawks moved to their new Seahawks Stadium (later CenturyLink Field) with a changed logo, fresh colors and new jerseys. At the same time, they moved to a different conference and division as part of the NFL's restructuring. The Seahawks were now part of the NFC West along with the St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals. Holmgren named Dilfer the starting quarterback that season. Under him, the Seahawks won just one of their first six games. After Dilfer got hurt in the seventh game, Hasselbeck became the starter. He threw for over 3,000 yards and won six of the last ten games. With a record of seven wins and nine losses, the Seahawks missed the playoffs.
Before the 2003 season, Holmgren resigned as general manager under pressure from the media to fully concentrate on his coaching duties. The Seahawks managed to win all eight games at home and enter the playoffs with ten wins and six losses. They faced the Green Bay Packers and had chances to win the game in regulation time. For example, wide receiver Koren Robinson dropped a touchdown pass from Hasselbeck in the end zone. The game went into overtime, where Matt Hasselbeck got carried away with the pitch choice comment that echoed throughout the stadium over the referee mics that weren't turned off, "We want the ball, and we're going to score." A few minutes later, Hasselbeck threw an interception to Packers cornerback Al Harris, who returned the ball for a touchdown to end the Seahawks' season.
Title contenders
The expectations of the media and fans were very high in 2004. More than a few, such as Sports Illustrated, predicted the team would make the Super Bowl. The Seahawks won their first three games before losing a game they thought was safe at home to the division rival St. Louis Rams, where they led 27-10 late in the final quarter, and ended up losing 33-27 in overtime. The Seahawks struggled to recover from that loss, losing six of their remaining 12 games, including the rematch with St. Louis. Their record of nine wins to seven losses was enough to win the division title, advancing to the playoffs for the second year in a row. The joy of making the playoffs was marred by Shaun Alexander, who was publicly outraged by Mike Holmgren's decision to save him for the playoffs in the second half of the final game against the Atlanta Falcons. Alexander missed out on the NFL rushing title (player with the most yards run in a season) by one yard as a result, giving way to Curtis Martin of the New York Jets. In the play-offs the Seahawks met the St. Louis Rams again. Also this time they kept the upper hand with 27:20. The Seahawks thus became the eleventh team in NFL history to lose to the same opponent three times in one season.
After the 2004 season, general manager Bob Whitsitt was relieved of his duties due to disagreements with head coach Mike Holmgren and replaced by Tim Ruskell. Ruskell was able to extend the contracts of three key players Alexander, Hasselbeck and Jones and re-signed almost half of the 53-man roster, laying the foundation for the Seahawks' best season to date. Seattle started the season with two wins and two losses, but then didn't lose another game until they lost to the Packers on the final day of play. Shaun Alexander set a new record for touchdowns in a season and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2005 season. The left side of the offensive line with Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson was considered one of the best in the NFL and played a significant role in Alexander's records and accolades. With a record of thirteen wins to three losses, Seattle secured home field advantage for the entire NFC playoffs as the best team in the NFC. They won their first playoff game in 21 years against the Washington Redskins, and they advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time by defeating the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. In Super Bowl XL, the Seahawks faced the Pittsburgh Steelers led by their young quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Jerome Bettis. The Seahawks were able to gain more space than the Steelers, but they failed to convert their superiority into enough points. They were either whistled back by the referees or made mistakes in crucial situations. The Steelers, on the other hand, were able to win the game 21-10 with the help of three big plays.
In 2006, the Seahawks traded guard Steve Hutchinson to the Minnesota Vikings and got wide receiver Nate Burleson from them. Other key additions were linebacker Julian Peterson and former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch, whom Seattle signed from the New England Patriots early in the season. Shaun Alexander was injured in the first game against the Detroit Lions, but played three more games until he was diagnosed with a broken foot and had to sit out most of the season. Matt Hasselbeck also missed four games with various injuries. The Seahawks narrowly escaped to the playoffs with a record of nine wins to seven losses and won their third straight division title. They beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-20 in the first game of the playoffs, but were eliminated in the next round by the Chicago Bears, who they lost to in overtime.
In the 2007 season, despite another underachieving Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks again prevailed in the division with ten wins and six losses, giving them home-field advantage in the first playoff game against the Washington Redskins. The Redskins were defeated 35-14 at Qwest Field. The divisional playoff game was held at Green Bay's Lambeau Field. This one ended in a 20-42 loss for the Seahawks despite an interim 14-0 lead. A few days after the playoff exit, Mike Holmgren announced that he would retire after the 2008 season and that his assistant Jim L. Mora would likely succeed him.
Return to unsuccessfulness (2008-2009)
After Shaun Alexander was released in the preseason, the main focus in free agency was to improve the running game. The Seahawks biggest problems in the preseason were the running game and the offensive line. Signed were running backs Julius Jones from the Dallas Cowboys and T.J. Duckett from the Detroit Lions, guard Mike Wahle from the Carolina Panthers, and kicker Orlindo Mare and linebacker D.D. Lewis. Kicker Josh Brown, who was one of the best kickers, transferred to division rival St. Louis. The season was plagued by injuries. With all three wide receivers, Deon Branch, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram, injured, and Burleson out for the season, quarterback Hasselbeck found himself without a settled offense. On top of that, he himself had a permanent back ailment and had to sit out several games. In addition, defensive end Patrick Kerney also had to end the season early. Only tight end John Carlson, who was drafted by the University of Notre Dame in 2008, proved to be a bright spot. In his first season, he racked up nearly 400 yards and three passing touchdowns by the twelfth game. Still, the Seahawks finished the season with a record of four wins to twelve losses.
Jim L. Mora, who had previously assisted Holmgren as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, was selected as Holmgren's successor. The season started on a positive note when the St. Louis Rams were beaten convincingly 28-0. However, the rest of the season was marked mostly by poor play in away appearances. They went into the final four games of the season with five wins and seven losses, all of which were lost and ultimately cost Mora his tenure.
Upheaval under Pete Carroll (2010-present).
Realignment
The new head coach was Pete Carroll, who moved to Seattle from the University of Southern California (USC). He was considered a successful and charismatic coach in college football, whose methods did not translate to the NFL. Along with another new hire, general manager John Schneider, he took over a team that was poorly assembled. In their first year with the Seahawks, Carroll and Schneider completed a total of 284 transfers in an attempt to turn the team around.
The four teams in the NFC West have all been weak this season, making the Seahawks the first team in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs with a negative record of seven wins to nine losses as the division leaders. In the wild-card game, they faced the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, who were unexpectedly defeated 41-36. The game-winning 67-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, who was traded from the Buffalo Bills to the Seahawks that season, is considered one of the most spectacular runs in playoff history and was later christened the "Beast Quake." In the Divisional Playoffs, the Seahawks lost to the Chicago Bears 35-24.
In Carroll's second year, the rebuild continued when longtime quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who had set many franchise records in his career with the Seahawks and led the team to the Super Bowl in 2005, was dealt away. In his place, Tarvaris Jackson was signed along with wide receiver Sidney Rice from the Minnesota Vikings. Like the previous season, the Seahawks finished with a record of seven wins to nine losses in the regular season, which was not enough to make the playoffs.
Upswing and coronation
Looking for reinforcements at the quarterback position, Matt Flynn was signed from the Green Bay Packers prior to the 2012 season. They also drafted Russell Wilson, a quarterback who ultimately earned the starting job through strong preseason performances. After initial struggles, he stepped up as the season progressed and led a young team that benefited from a strong defense to the playoffs via wild card. There, Seattle defeated the Washington Redskins to earn its first away playoff win since 1983, but the Seahawks were eliminated by the Atlanta Falcons in the following game. In that game, rookie quarterback Wilson's 385 yards broke Sammy Baugh's 1937 record (335 yards) for most passing yards by a rookie in a postseason game. Seattle also became the first team to not only overcome a 20-point (at least) deficit in the final quarter, but also take the lead.
In Carroll and Schneider's fourth year with the Seahawks, the team was bolstered on defense in the pass rush with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Buoyed by a good defense, including the pass defense dubbed the Legion of Boom, the Seahawks won the NFC West over their San Francisco rivals with a record of thirteen wins and three losses and clinched home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. In the Divisional Playoffs, the Seahawks defeated the New OrleansSaints 23-15, and in the NFC Championship Game, the Seahawks faced their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, once again. Touchdowns by Lynch and Jermaine Kearse, three field goals by Steven Hauschka and an interception in their own endzone by Malcolm Smith won the game 23-17. This marked the Seahawks' second trip to the Super Bowl. On February 2, 2014, the Seahawks played the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, setting up a clash between the NFL's best defense and the best offense led by quarterback Peyton Manning. The game ended in a surprisingly emphatic 43-8 victory. This marked the first championship in Seattle Seahawks franchise history.
The start of the 2014 season was mixed, with three wins and three losses in the first six games. However, the team improved and with nine wins from the last ten games, they were able to knock the Arizona Cardinals off the top of the NFC West, also due to two wins in the direct duels. With twelve wins and four losses, Seattle, as the number one seed, again secured home-field advantage in the playoffs. In the Divisional Round, they managed a 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers. The NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers was won 28-22 in overtime, despite the Seahawks trailing 19-7 with three minutes remaining. Thus, the Seahawks qualified for the Super Bowl (XLIX) for the third time in their history. However, the title defense failed due to the 24:28 defeat against the New England Patriots.
After the Super Bowls.
The 2015 season got off to another mixed start for the Seahawks, as they won just four of their first nine games. Most notably, in their first four losses, the Seahawks always led early in the fourth quarter and only let the game slip away after that. However, after winning five straight games, they were able to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year in Week 15. In the wild cards, they faced the Minnesota Vikings. Playing in -21 C, the third coldest game in NFL history, the Seahawks initially fell behind 9-0, but rallied for a touchdown and a field goal to take a 10-9 lead. For their part, the Vikings missed a field goal with 26 seconds left to potentially change the lead again, giving the Seahawks the game. In the Divisional Playoffs, the Carolina Panthers awaited. After falling behind 31-0 at halftime, the Seahawks were able to cut it to 24-31, but ultimately lost the game.
The 2016 season began with four wins and one loss before the Seahawks tied the Arizona Cardinals 6-6 on game seven, the first tie in franchise history. The Seahawks finished the Regular Season with ten wins, five losses, and one tie, which was enough to win the division. The season was marked by an inconsistent running game. After Lynch's retirement before the start of the season, Carroll used 18 different runners. In the playoffs, the Seahawks faced the Detroit Lions, who they defeated 26-6. Running back Thomas Rawls rushed for 161 yards, setting a postseason franchise record. However, the playoffs ended for the Seahawks once again in the Divisional Round as they lost 20-36 to the Atlanta Falcons.
In the 2017 season, the Seahawks faced a lot of problems. The defense was weakened by many injuries and the running game on offense was also poor. Russell Wilson became only the fifth quarterback since 1970 to lead his team in rushing yards. The Seahawks were also weakened by an inconsistent kicker in Blair Walsh, who gave away several wins in the second half of the season after a good start. Ultimately, the Seahawks managed nine wins and seven losses, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
The 2018 season began with a shakeup in personnel, as the Seahawks were without key contributors Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Jimmy Graham due to release, transfer or injury. Earl Thomas was also still out mid-season. The Seahawks started the season with two losses, but were able to catch themselves and finished the season with ten wins and six losses, securing a wild card spot for the playoffs. With Chris Carson, the Seahawks boasted a running back with more than 1,000 rushing yards for the first time since 2014. Overall, they boasted the league's best running offense. Other new standouts included defensive linemen Frank Clark and Jarran Reed, who combined for 24.5 sacks, and rookie punter Michael Dickson, who was selected to the Pro Bowl. Midway through the season, owner Paul Allen passed away. His role was taken over by the estate's representative, Allen's sister Judy. In the playoffs, however, the Seahawks lost 22-24 to the Dallas Cowboys in their first game.
In 2019, the Seahawks improved to eleven wins on the season and qualified for the playoffs as a wild card. However, they were eliminated there in the divisional round against the Green Bay Packers. Pete Carroll also reached the milestone of becoming the first head coach to win 100 games with the Seahawks on Game Day 15.
