The Seattle Seahawks know exactly how hard it is to win back-to-back Super Bowls, just ask Pete Carroll.

Only two teams have managed to do so since the turn of the millennium, with the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs holding that title.

However, there is something different about this Seattle Seahawks team, they are not necessarily built on a roster of league-leading players; this is a team built to last the course.

As the Los Angeles Rams continue to stack their superstar roster, the Seahawks boast a team built on the mantra ’12 as One’ which helped guide them to their Super Bowl triumph back in February.

Now that OTAs are complete and Super Bowl rings have been handed out to the Seahawks players, here are three reasons why the Seahawks could become just the third team since 2000.

Seattle Seahawks have stronger squad retention than the 2013 winners

The Legion of Boom stunned the NFL when the Seahawks demolished the Denver Broncos back in Super Bowl XLVIII.

However, Carroll’s team lost more players after their 2013 season, with 28% of that squad’s snaps lost heading into the 2014 season.

Influential players like Golden Tate and Chris Clemons parted ways and although Seattle have lost their Super Bowl MVP in Kenneth Walker III, they only lost 14% of the squad’s snaps that lifted the Lombardi at Levi’s Stadium.

Big calls have been made as John Schneider re-signed Rashid Shaheed on a three-year deal following an incredible introduction after he was traded from the New Orleans Saints.

There is no denying that Seattle has lost some big names in Walker and Cobe Bryant, but losing Tariq Woolen could actually prove a blessing in disguise.

Championships are built on defense

Make no mistake about it, the Seattle offense was far from perfect during the 2025 season despite the heroics of Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Improvement on the offensive side of the ball is certainly a big possibility, with Grey Zabel heading into his second year in the league following a seriously impressive rookie season.

Having held on to offensive line coach John Benton, Seattle, with another year of working together, they look to be in a good position to develop under new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury.

However, the real reason why Seattle stand a good chance at making another run for the 2026 Super Bowl is their incredible defense.

Seeing Demarcus Lawrence return for another year cannot be underestimated, as Seattle have maintained their defensive front that caused so many teams problems last year.

The aptly-named Dark Side defense has the depth across all positions to run it again in 2026, with Mike Macdonald left wowed by his players after the Super Bowl in Santa Clara.

“They lived up to the Dark Side today. It’s going to go down in the history books. They made it happen, they made it come to life,” he said.

With a defense so well-rounded, there is no reason why the Seahawks cannot replicate the same – if not better – defensive dominance that rocked the league.

The Mike Macdonald and John Schneider factor

Since hiring Macdonald as head coach, there has been an intangible quality about Seattle that teams across the country have looked to tap into.

Seattle’s draft classes under Macdonald have provided players like Byron Murphy, AJ Barner, Nick Emmanwori and Zabel to name just a handful.

The 38-year-old has established a new culture in Seattle, which is based on their ’12 as One’ mantra.

“If you can’t get everybody going in the same direction, you really don’t have a chance,” Macdonald said.

The togetherness between everyone inside the VMAC building is clear to see, with John Schneider at the very heart of it.

There is no denying that Seattle lost some star players this off-season, but is there anyone better in the game to fill the holes in the squad than the NFL Executive of the Year?

Yes, the LA Rams have a number of shiny new toys that will certainly cause problems in the upcoming season, yet Seattle remain the team to beat in the NFC West.