Colin Cowherd, host of "The Herd," stated that the Seattle Seahawks are being underestimated heading into the 2026 season, even as defending champions. He noted that oddsmakers have placed teams with lesser recent success, such as the Baltimore Ravens (who finished 8-9 last year), ahead of the Seahawks in Super Bowl odds.
Cowherd challenged the notion that the Seahawks' 2025 Super Bowl victory was a fluke, attributing their success to factors beyond luck. He highlighted that quarterback Sam Darnold is entering his second season with the team under the same coaching staff, offensive coordinator, and in the same city, providing a level of continuity he has not experienced previously in his career.
During the 2025 season, Darnold passed for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, contributing to Jaxon Smith-Njigba's Offensive Player of the Year award. However, Cowherd emphasized that the team's defense was a primary driver of their championship run, finishing as the league's best scoring defense in the regular season and delivering a dominant performance throughout the playoffs.
He drew parallels between Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and successful defensive-minded coaches, describing Macdonald as "Sean McVay on the defensive side." Cowherd pointed to the team's core of young, developing players and healthy veterans, including Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Charles Cross, as further evidence of their sustained competitiveness.
The analyst also praised the team's overall infrastructure, including the general manager and coaching staff, and noted their strong road record of 15-2 over the past two seasons, coupled with their status as a top home team. Despite these strengths, Cowherd believes the Seahawks are not receiving adequate attention as a contender for the upcoming season.