Ranking the Top 10 Seattle Seahawks of All Time Ahead of Super Bowl LX

The Seattle Seahawks were one of the great success stories of the 2025 NFL season and now have a chance to punctuate their stunningly quick turnaround with a Super Bowl LX victory.

While Seattle's current roster is loaded with up-and-coming stars seeking to cement their own legacies, the long wait for the big game is also a great time to look back at their predecessors and highlight some of the most impactful players in franchise history.

Although the Seahawks only have one Super Bowl banner hanging in their stadium, they've played host to some of the greatest talents the NFL has ever seen throughout their 50 years of existence.

A list of Seattle's top-10 players not only includes components of the legendary "Legion of Boom" secondary and other members from their Super Bowl XLVIII championship squad, but also several of the best to ever do it from previous generations.

With that in mind, let's get into the rankings.

10. RB Marshawn Lynch (2010-2015, 2019)

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Marshawn Lynch constantly set the tone for a championship-level offense throughout his tenure with the Seahawks. His "Beast Mode" moniker was a perfect fit for his violent, tackle-shedding style, one that made him a fan favorite and a nightmare for opposing teams to deal with.

Although his career began as a first-round pick for the Buffalo Bills in 2007—a team he rushed for over 1,000 yards for twice and earned one of his five total Pro Bowl nods with—he's best remembered for his contributions in Seattle following a blockbuster trade to the franchise early in the 2010 season.

Shortly after he joined the club, Lynch created one of the most memorable plays in league history—taking on a myriad of defenders and created a "Beast Quake" with his 67-yard touchdown scamper in January 2011.

Four consecutive Pro Bowl years followed, with Lynch eclipsing the 1,200-rushing yard mark in each. He earned his lone All-Pro nod during a career-best 2012 campaign in which he tallied 1,590 yards and 11 touchdowns on 315 carries.

His most memorable contributions came in the playoffs, including a 2013 run in which he tallied 288 yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries. He was even more efficient the following year—racking up 318 yards and two scores on 63 carries—but the decision to take the ball out of his hands and throw it with the game on the line against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX will always haunt the back, the organization and its fans.

While Lynch could have provided Seattle with back-to-back Super Bowl titles with one more bruising run into the teeth of the opposition defense, he still did more than enough throughout his exemplary seven seasons and 83 games in a Seahawks uniform to secure a place in the top 10 of all time.

9. S Earl Thomas III (2010-2018)

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Earl Thomas III makes the list of Seahawks greats for his masterful work serving as an irreplicable centerpiece for the vaunted "Legion of Boom" defense for nearly a decade.

His unparalleled range, closing speed and football intelligence unlocked Seattle's defensive scheme, allowing his teammates to play with a fearless aggression that would have been reckless had the stellar safety not been able to erase mistakes at will and cover up for any inadequacies. He controlled the field from sideline to sideline and almost never gave up the big play.

Thomas was a foundational piece of a historically elite defense that drove Seattle to back-to-back Super Bowls. Although he lifted just one Lombardi Trophy, the safety kept the team a force to be reckoned with for his entire nine-year tenure in the Pacific Northwest.

During a prime that spanned the better part of seven years, he earned six Pro Bowl nominations and appeared on the All-Pro team three times. He finished his time with the Seahawks having collected 664 tackles, 67 defensed passes, 28 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles, a testament to the indelible impact he had on the program.

Considering Thomas did just about everything at a high level and made countless game-changing plays for the Seahawks, it should come as no surprise that he's one of the top-10 players in team history.

Without him, there is no "Legion of Boom" and likely no Super Bowl trips for the organization to celebrate.

8. CB Richard Sherman (2011-2017)

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

When Richard Sherman arrived in Seattle following his selection in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, he brought the type of swagger and charisma that the team had long been missing.

Possessing length, ball skills and incredible intelligence in spades, he rapidly developed into his generation's most memorable shutdown corner, rising to meet every challenge with confidence and bravado. He had a deep understanding of offensive schemes—stemming from playing wideout during his early years at Stanford—and was able to lock down opposing receivers with ease.

Sherman's peak was one of the best to be seen from the cornerback position. During a half-decade span between 2012-16, he led the league in interceptions (26) and ranked second in passes defensed (75) while earning three All-Pro and four Pro Bowl nods.

Seattle unsurprisingly found team success during his elite reign, winning at least one playoff game in each of those years while also making a pair of Super Bowl trips and lifting the Lombardi Trophy to conclude the 2013 campaign.

Sherman's brash personality and unwillingness to shy away from making bold statements both on the field and to the media may not have endeared him to everyone, but he's beloved in Seattle for good reason.

He made massive contributions during the franchise's best years and was arguably the top player for one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.

7. S Kenny Easley (1981-1987)

AP Photo/John Froschauer

The Seahawks have been blessed with some of the league's greatest defensive backs throughout their long history, but Kenny Easley stands as a cut above the rest.

The 1981 No. 4 overall pick quickly became known as "The Enforcer" due to his tenacity and the intimidating hitting power he brought to the table. He upped the ante for strong safeties, combining the playmaking skills of a corner and the tackling ability of a linebacker into a unique package.

He assumed a center-fielder role for Seattle, dominating the deep third of the field and redefining his position. He amassed 32 interceptions in just 89 career games, including a league-high 10 during the 1984 season. He earned Pro Bowl nods in five of his seven career campaigns and was named to three consecutive All-Pro teams between 1983-85.

While injuries unfortunately shortened Easley's career and forced him to retire early, he was the most dominant defensive back in football during his prime. He was both feared and respected by opposing quarterbacks and receivers alike, crafting a transcendent legacy that could have been even more glorious had his already-impressive career been extended a few more seasons.

6. RB Shaun Alexander (2000-2007)

AP Photo/Andy Rogers

Shaun Alexander's career may have been relatively brief, but it included one of the most impressive primes for an NFL running back.

Although he didn't make the immediate impact expected from a first-round pick in the 2000 draft, he took control of Seattle's backfield in 2001 and began a dominant stretch that saw him eclipse the 1,300-rushing yard mark for a half-decade straight.

Alexander hit his peak in 2005 when he orchestrated one of the best offensive seasons of all time. During that age-28 campaign, he racked up a near-absurd 1,880 rushing yards and a then-record 27 rushing touchdowns—which still stands as the second-most of all time—on a herculean 370 totes.

While he earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod and locked up the only All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year awards of his career that season as well, the team success that his offensive outburst brought was most important. Seattle rallied behind its star running back to go 13-3 during the regular season and then went on to make the franchise's first appearance in the Super Bowl.

Although the Seahawks ultimately fell short in the big game, Alexander contributed a noteworthy 236 yards and two touchdowns in his three playoff appearances that year. He thrived in Mike Holmgren's zone-blocking scheme and used trademark vision and patience, along with a signature jump-cut, to exploit gaps and make his defenders miss.

An unfortunate series of injuries brought a swift decline to Alexander's game in the following years, but his legacy remains well intact. He's still the all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns for the club, and his 2005 campaign will always be a landmark moment in Seattle lore.

5. DT Cortez Kennedy (1990-2000)

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There wasn't much to celebrate during the 1990s for a perennial punching-bag Seahawks team, but Cortez Kennedy was one of the few bright spots during a rough decade.

The defensive tackle joined the team as the No. 3 overall pick in 1990 following a standout run at Miami that included a pair of national championship seasons with the Hurricanes. He served as a one-man wrecking crew during his Hall of Fame tenure in Washington state, combining explosiveness, power and agility into his massive 6'3", 306-pound frame.

Kennedy posted one of the league's most memorable defensive campaigns in 1992, tallying an incredible 92 tackles, 14 sacks and four forced fumbles on his way to earning the Defensive Player of the Year award along with his second consecutive Pro Bowl nomination and first placement on the All-Pro team.

While he never reached those same lofty heights, he remained one of the most feared defensive tackles in football until his retirement in 2000. He finished his illustrious 11-year career with 669 tackles, an eye-popping 58 sacks and 13 forced fumbles to go along with eight Pro Bowl nods and three All-Pro teams.

The Hall of Famer only tasted the playoffs once—losing in the Wild Card Round after the 1999 season—but his impact for a franchise that needed someone to rally around during some lean years won't ever be forgotten.

4. QB Russell Wilson (2012-2021)

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Seattle elected to roll the dice on Russell Wilson with a third-round pick in the 2012 draft. That Day 2 decision forever changed the history of the franchise.

Partnering with head coach Pete Carroll, Wilson took a team that had consistently underwhelmed and rarely was a serious contender and rapidly transformed it into a perennial winner. The signal-caller won 11 regular-season games and a playoff contest—as well as earning the first of his nine Pro Bowl nods with the club—as a rookie, foreshadowing the immense success that would soon follow.  

By Year 2, Wilson elevated the Seahawks to Super Bowl champion for the first time in their history. The team won a franchise-record 13 games during the regular season and blitzed through the playoffs, culminating in a blowout 43-8 win over Peyton Manning's favored Denver Broncos.

Although Seattle couldn't become the first team since the 2004-05 New England Patriots to repeat as champions, the squad came up just short the following year. Wilson's goal-line interception in the waning moments was a lowlight for both the quarterback and franchise, but that disappointment in a Super Bowl the team was expected by many to win showed just how far the organization had come in such a short time.

While Seattle wouldn't reach the big game again during Wilson's tenure, he was able to keep the team competitive with his dynamic dual-threat playmaking skills and prolific passing ability. The Seahawks won at least nine games in all but one of his 10 seasons and reached the playoffs on eight occasions.

Although he eventually exited in a high-profile trade to the Broncos, Wilson still holds nearly every passing record in Seahawks history. His legacy with the organization is secured, and his Super Bowl contributions will never fade.  

3. LB Bobby Wagner (2012-2021, 2023)

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Bobby Wagner was the defensive leader during Seattle's golden era, one that finally resulted in the city celebrating a long-awaited championship during the star linebacker's second season.

After joining the team as a second-round pick in 2012, he provided the Seahawks with a cerebral and physical presence in the middle of their tenacious defense, doing nearly everything required of a modern off-ball linebacker at a Hall of Fame level.

Although Seattle's linebacking corps didn't have a flashy name like the team's "Legion of Boom" secondary, the Wagner-led unit was just as instrumental in Seattle's successes during his tenure with the program.

The Seahawks reached the playoffs in eight of his 11 seasons, winning at least one game during six of those trips and going to the Super Bowl twice in back-to-back seasons in 2013-14.

Wagner aged like a fine wine, with his elite instincts and high football IQ more than making up for slipping athleticism in his later years. He was named to nine Pro Bowls, including eight consecutive nods between 2014-21 and again upon his return to the team in 2023, and made the All-Pro squad on six occasions.

Thanks to his commendable leadership, unparalleled consistency and record of success, Wagner will always be remembered as one of the top linebackers in both Seahawks and NFL history.

2. WR Steve Largent (1976-1989)

AP Photo/Tom Reed

A wideout who earned seven Pro Bowl nods, three appearances on the All-Pro team and led the entire NFL in receiving yards twice during an esteemed 14-year career would be remembered as the greatest player ever for many franchises.

While Steve Largent falls just short of that for the Seahawks, he's still one of the best players in NFL history—one who changed the game with his immense contributions.

The eventual first-ballot Hall of Famer entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Houston Oilers in 1976 but was nearly cut that offseason, until the fledgling Seahawks acquired him for an eighth-round draft choice. It was one of the best decisions the organization has made, helping to jump-start an expansion team and making it one of the most exciting offenses in the league.

Largent quickly established himself as a prolific pass-catcher in an era when plodding ground games and high-volume running backs largely dominated.  At the time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader for career receptions, receiving yardage, receiving touchdowns, most consecutive games with a catch, 50-plus catch seasons and 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

While many of those records would go on to be broken by Jerry Rice and other high-profile receivers who followed in his footsteps, Largent was the original superstar receiver who created a blueprint that teams and players still follow to this day.

1. OT Walter Jones (1997-2008)

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Walter Jones will always be remembered as one of the greatest players not only in Seahawks history but also of all time. There's a strong argument to be made that he's the best offensive tackle to play the game, perhaps even one of the greatest irrespective of position.

It isn't easy to quantify what he brought to the table during his 12 seasons in the Pacific Northwest. While he earned considerable amounts of individual accolades—his impeccable resume includes nine Pro Bowls, four All-Pros and a spot on the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time team—he was the consummate teammate who raised the bar considerably for Seattle's offense.

Jones dominated the opposition, casting aside defensive linemen like a ragdoll—a testament to the immense strength and power he packed into a 6'5", 325-pound frame. The offensive tackle credited his unconventional training tactic of pushing trucks in the parking lot for his stamina and success late in games.

There was no one better than Jones in pass protection, as he only conceded a mere 23 sacks across 5,703 career pass blocking snaps. To further put that in perspective, his QBs were only brought down by his assignment on .004 percent of their drop backs. He was extremely disciplined and intelligent, drawing whistles for holding a meager nine times across 180 career games.

While the Seahawks didn't manage to win a championship during Jones' tenure, they did get close for the first time when they finished as a runner-up to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

That appearance helped establish a foundation and set a standard for future Seattle teams—including this season's Super Bowl LX version—to follow for years to come.