Seahawks 2010s All-Decade Team: Defensive Skill Players
The 2010s undeniably were the best decade in Seahawks franchise history.
With coach Pete Carroll at the helm, Seattle made the postseason eight out of the past 10 seasons, won four NFC West titles, and captured the franchise’s first Super Bowl trophy. Aside from New England, no other franchise was more consistent in this decade, as Carroll led his team to seven 10-plus win seasons and 100 regular season victories.
To put these numbers in perspective, the Seahawks had five 10-plus win seasons, 10 playoff appearances, and six division titles combined from 1976 to 2009.
To celebrate the best 10-year span in franchise history, our writing staff assembled a 2010s Seahawks All-Decade 53-Man Roster. Which defensive skill players made the final cut?
Middle Linebacker
Bobby Wagner
Seahawks Tenure: 2012-Present
Stats: 1,140 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 58 tackles for loss, four defensive touchdowns
Analysis: Still just 29 years old, Wagner continues to shatter Seattle's record books. Now the Seahawks' all-time leader in tackles after surpassing safety Eugene Robinson, he has started every game but 10 in his eight seasons in Seattle. With the 2019 season now wrapped up, Wagner has led the NFL in tackles on two separate occasions, including posting 159 last season. He earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection as well as a team-record fifth First-Team All-Pro selection, placing him in elite company among the best linebackers since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger. No one patrols the field sideline-to-sideline like Wagner. Quite simply, he has been the best linebacker in the NFL for multiple years and will go down as one of the best defenders in Seahawks history.
David Hawthorne
Seahawks Tenure: 2008-2011
Stats: 350 tackles, seven interceptions, 15 passes defensed
Analysis: Thanks to Wagner's arrival in 2012, Hawthorne's time in Seattle wasn't a lengthy one, but he proved to be a valuable starter during Carroll's first two seasons at the helm. Undrafted out of TCU, the 230-pound Hawthorne waited for his turn behind Lofa Tatupu before entering the starting lineup for good in 2010. Over the next two seasons, he produced 221 combined tackles, four interceptions, and 10 passes defensed, excelling against the run and in coverage. He also recovered a key fumble in the Seahawks 41-37 upset over the Saints in the 2010 Wild Card round.
Outside Linebacker
K.J. Wright
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-Present
Stats: 855 tackles, 44 passes defensed, 11.5 sacks
Analysis: Often overlooked because of the presence of other stars around him, including Wagner, Wright has somehow only played in one Pro Bowl and never earned All-Pro recognition. But he belongs in the discussion as the best outside linebacker to ever wear a Seahawks uniform and now ranks third in franchise history in tackles behind only Wagner and Eugene Robinson. He's yielded 100-plus tackles in five of the past six seasons, including a career-best 132 tackles in an impressive bounce back season in 2019. He's also been one of the most underrated coverage linebackers in football and set a new career high with 11 passes defensed last season.
Bruce Irvin
Seahawks Tenure: 2012-2015
Stats: 133 Tackles, 22.0 sacks, 25 tackles for loss
Analysis: The Seahawks were highly criticized for taking Irvin in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Fortunately, Schneider and Carroll turned out to make a wise decision and the "reach" ended up paying off for the franchise. Draft gurus saw Irvin as a rotational speed rusher that would merely be effective on passing downs who offered little value otherwise. While he did start in such a role, he eventually became an excellent fit for the Seahawks as a hybrid outside linebacker. He displayed the athleticism to drop into coverage and was able to bring in three interceptions during his time in Seattle along with 22.0 sacks. He ended up being a critical role player on a star-laden defense during the both of the Seahawks' Super Bowl runs.
Malcolm Smith
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-2014
Stats: 130 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions
Analysis: Of course, the MVP of Seattle's Super Bowl win in 2013 will get a nod on the all-decade team. Smith did not put up eye-popping numbers after joining the Seahawks as a seventh-round draft choice, but he missed just three games between 2012 and 2014. He played in both Super Bowl XLVIII and XLIX. He earned MVP honors in Seattle's championship-clinching game against the Broncos thanks to 10 total tackles, a pass defensed, a fumble recovery, and an interception returned for a touchdown. He picked a great time to have the game of his life and turned several solid seasons in Seattle into a big free agent contract with Oakland in 2015.
LeRoy Hill
Seahawks Tenure: 2005-2012
Stats: 512 tackles, 20.0 sacks, 11 passes defensed
Analysis: Character concerns and legal issues shortened Hill's once-promising career and it's safe to say he squandered a great opportunity once Carroll signed on as coach in 2010. Most of his production came before the turn of the decade with Mike Holmgren and Jim Mora on the sidelines. But after appearing in just one game in 2010, he started all 16 games during the 2011 season, producing 89 tackles, 4.0 sacks, and a forced fumble. Starting alongside Wright and Wagner for one season in 2012, he closed out his time in Seattle with 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks before being replaced by the combination of Malcolm Smith and Bruce Irvin the following season.
Cornerback
Richard Sherman
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-2017
Stats: 368 tackles, 32 interceptions, 99 passed defensed, two defensive touchdowns
Analysis: For several years, the brash, sometimes arrogant Sherman was the most feared corner in all the league and remains one of the best entering a new decade. In 2012 and 2013, he had back-to-back seasons with eight interceptions, which was an NFL-high during the 2013 season. He made the most iconic play in Seahawks history with "The Tip." In the 2013 NFC Championship Game against the 49ers, Sherman tipped a pass away from Michael Crabtree, with the deflection being intercepted by teammate Malcolm Smith. That sealed Seattle's victory and sent them to the Super Bowl, which they would win handily over Denver. Sherman was selected to four straight Pro Bowls and was voted All-Pro three times as part of the "Legion of Boom," which will go down as one of the greatest secondaries in NFL history.
Brandon Browner
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-2013
Stats: 117 tackles, 10 interceptions, 40 passes defensed
Analysis: Legal issues in his post-NFL career have stained Browner's reputation and then some, but he was a key ingredient in the original "Legion of Boom." Coming back to the league after a brief stint in the CFL, the 6-foot-4, 221-pound Browner projected as the perfect physical prototype to play outside corner in Carroll's system and he thrived in press coverage. Starting all 16 games in 2011, he intercepted six passes and returned two of them for touchdowns while leading the league with 23 passes defensed. He never quite returned to Pro Bowl form the next two seasons, but still formed an outstanding duo across from Sherman and finished with 10 interceptions in just three seasons with the Seahawks.
Shaquill Griffin
Seahawks Tenure: 2017-Present
Stats: 186 tackles, three interceptions, 36 passes defensed
Analysis: After enduring a challenging first season in Sherman's stead at left cornerback, Griffin emerged as one of the better young defensive backs in football in 2019. Though he failed to register an interception and has only three picks in three seasons, opponents completed just 57 percent of passes against him and he ranked among league leaders with 15 passes defensed, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Still just 24 years old, the speedy Griffin has plenty of room to grow heading towards the final year of his rookie deal and looks like he'll be a focal point in Seattle's secondary for years to come. 10 years from now, there's a good chance he'll be one of the key members of the 2020 All-Decade team.
Byron Maxwell
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-2014, 2017
Stats: 82 tackles, seven interceptions, 33 passes defensed
Analysis: Stuck behind Sherman and Browner, Maxwell rarely played during his first two seasons with the Seahawks. But the former sixth-round pick out of Clemson hit his stride during Seattle's Super Bowl-winning season in 2013, intercepting four passes and registering 12 passes defensed despite making only five starts. He replaced Browner as a full-time starter the next season, picking off two more passes and parlaying his success into a massive free agent deal with the Eagles. After brief stops in Philadelphia and Miami, Maxwell returned to Seattle to replace an injured Sherman in 2017, starting six games and picking off a pass as the Seahawks missed the playoffs for the first time in six years.
Justin Coleman
Seahawks Tenure: 2017-2018
Stats: 98 tackles, three interceptions, 19 passes defensed, three defensive touchdowns
Analysis: In recent years, Seattle has had great luck making deals with New England, starting with the decision to flip a seventh-round pick to the Patriots for Coleman. After playing sparingly in his first two NFL seasons, the ex-Tennessee standout immediately excelled in the slot for the Seahawks, returning both of his interceptions for touchdowns during the 2017 season. He followed up with another outstanding campaign, making 55 tackles and returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Vikings. As Maxwell did four years earlier, Coleman turned his success into a huge contract and left for Detroit before the 2019 season.
Neiko Thorpe
Seahawks Tenure: 2016-Present
Stats: 42 tackles, three fumble recoveries, two passes defensed
Analysis: Thorpe hasn't played many defensive snaps in four seasons with the Seahawks, but he makes this roster due to his outstanding special teams skills. Widely regarded as one of the best gunners in punt coverage in the entire NFL, he's been a valuable reserve who has impacted games with fumble recoveries, big hits in coverage, and several punts downed deep in opposing territory. Every good team has to have core special teams players and Thorpe would provide that element as the final addition to this loaded secondary.
Safety
Earl Thomas
Seahawks Tenure: 2010-2018
Stats: 664 tackles, 28 interceptions, 67 passes defensed
Analysis: Some fans remain bitter with how Thomas departed Seattle, but that doesn't change the fact he's one of the best players to ever wear a Seahawks uniform regardless of position. Boasting elite speed and unparalleled range from center field, he was molded perfectly to play free safety in Carroll's Cover 3 heavy scheme, making life easier for Sherman and Browner as physical press corners. Capable of delivering big hits, he was also a master at forcing fumbles, including karate chopping the ball out of the hands of Todd Gurley at the goal line during a game in 2017. Earning six Pro Bowl nods and three First-Team All-Pro selections, he picked off five passes three different seasons and finished with 664 combined tackles in just nine seasons with the Seahawks.
Kam Chancellor
Seahawks Tenure: 2010-2017
Stats: 641 Tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12 interceptions
Analysis: The enforcer of Seattle's historically dominant defense, Chancellor was arguably the most athletic player in the Legion of Boom. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 230 pounds, he was fast enough to run with the most athletic tight ends, but also could step up into the box and set the edge defending the run. His thunderous hits would fire up the sideline and set the tone for the entire defense, with one of his most memorable being on Demaryius Thomas in Super Bowl XLVIII. His career was shortened by a neck injury, but he finished as a four time Pro Bowl selection for the Seahawks, and is destined to eventually join the team's Ring of Honor. His ability and uniqueness at the position made teams around the league reevaluate what to look for at strong safety.
Bradley McDougald
Seahawks Tenure: 2017-Present
Stats: 223 tackles, five interceptions, 19 passes defensed
McDougald was a welcome signing after the Seahawks lost Kam Chancellor to a career-ending neck injury and eventually allowed Earl Thomas to walk in free agency. He instantly became a leader for a new-look defense missing so many key players from their two Super Bowl teams and a stable presence in a young secondary. The Seahawks do not weather the storm of losing Chancellor and Thomas near as well without McDougald. He started every game in 2018 and started all but two games in 2019. A versatile player capable of playing both safety spots, he's been a beacon of consistency with three straight seasons of more than 70 tackles and five picks.
Deshawn Shead
Seahawks Tenure: 2012-2017
Stats: 153 tackles, two interceptions, 24 passes defensed
Analysis: Working his way up as an undrafted free agent out of Portland State, Shead started his journey with the Seahawks on the practice squad before seeing the field for five games on special teams in 2013. Boasting the type of versatility Carroll covets in the secondary, he played snaps at both safety positions as well as cornerback, eventually replacing Maxwell in the starting lineup in 2016. In his lone season as a full-time starter, Shead registered 81 tackles and 14 passes defensed across from Sherman. Unfortunately, a torn ACL ended his season in the playoffs and he played in just two more games for the Seahawks before departing in free agency.
