5 Biggest Challengers to a Seahawks Super Bowl Repeat

Five teams that could prevent the Seahawks from repeating as champions next year.

The Seahawks will have competition when they try to go back-to-back. | Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated.

The Seahawks are Super Bowl champions!

After beating the Patriots 29-13 to win their second Super Bowl, the Seahawks will head into next season trying to become the ninth NFL franchise to win back-to-back crowns The Seahawks were one of the most complete teams throughout the 2025 season, and it was on full display as they won the championship thanks to another stellar defensive performance.

As this season also showed, it’s hard to predict who will be in contention next season. Both the Seahawks and Patriots were far from Super Bowl or even playoff favorites before the year, but were among a number of impressive turnarounds that took place this season. Teams will add to their rosters over free agency and the draft in the upcoming months, looking to become capable of taking down a team like Seattle.

Before the Seahawks try to return to the Super Bowl next season, here’s a look at the five teams that could keep them from repeating as champions next year.

Los Angeles Rams

Look for the Rams to challenge the Seahawks next season. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

With Matthew Stafford officially back, the Rams should remain firmly in the mix for the Super Bowl next season.

The Rams were one of the best teams throughout the 2025 season, leading the league in both total yards and points per game as Stafford claimed his first NFL MVP award. They had a chance to advance to the Super Bowl had they been able to find the go-ahead touchdown vs. the Seahawks in the NFC championship game. They ended up falling short, but were one of the few teams to go toe-to-toe with the vaunted Seahawks defense.

The Seahawks defense stifled numerous opponents throughout the season, yet Stafford recorded over 370 yards and three touchdowns in each of his last two matchups against Seattle. The Rams did lose both contests, but it’s not hard to see how they can win those close games next season.

At this point, the Rams are far and away the toughest competitors for the Seahawks, though much can change over the course of the offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles

The previous Super Bowl champion fell maddeningly short of their potential in 2025. Despite having one of the most talented rosters on paper, the Eagles' offense was hapless for much of the year and were eliminated from the playoffs in the wild-card round.

The Eagles defense remains a stout unit—ranking fifth in points allowed per game this past season— and if the offense can at least somewhat get it together next season, they have the players capable of contending with the Seahawks for another Super Bowl title. If Philadelphia can withstand the massive loss of assistant coach Jeff Stoutland and the running game bounces back, it’ll go a long ways toward their chances of taking down Seattle in 2026.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers proved they were no match for the Seahawks in their final two games against them this season. As head coach Kyle Shanahan pointed out on Super Bowl Sunday, his team struggled to move the ball vs. Seattle this season as quarterback Brock Purdy was practically running for his life in their divisional round loss.

Heading into next year though, the 49ers could provide a tougher threat to the Seahawks if they can remain healthy. San Francisco was decimated with injuries on both sides of the ball by the time they faced Seattle in their rematches, and simply were unable to keep up. When healthy, the 49ers are a talented team with a tremendous play-caller in Shanahan—even if he hasn’t quite figured out Macdonald yet.

Chicago Bears

Like the 49ers, the Bears have some work to do before they’re truly ready to contend with the Seahawks. Quarterback Caleb Williams proved that he and the Bears are never out of any game, but they also need to be more consistent on offense throughout game and additionally have room to improve on defense.

Still, the Bears are an ascending team in the NFC with a young quarterback that continued to grow over the course of the season. With Williams’s talent and ability to pull off miracle comebacks, Chicago could prove ready to upset the Seahawks—especially if they continue adding the right pieces to the team.

Houston Texans

The Texans are in the AFC, but if there’s any defense that can contend with the Seahawks, it’s Houston’s. The Texans finished with the No. 1 unit in total yards allowed per game and second in points allowed per game, only behind the Seahawks.

Of course, it will be hard for the Texans to seriously contend if C.J. Stroud has any more postseason meltdowns. If the defense can maintain its dominance, Houston will certainly have a shot. At the very least, even if the Texans fall short of a deep playoff run, they can challenge Seattle for the title of best defense next season.

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