Several Former Seahawks One Step Away From Super Bowl LVI

After a wild weekend across the NFL, the playoff field has been whittled down to four teams. Seven former Seahawks are still in position to win rings, with six able to survive the upcoming conference championships and advance to Super Bowl LVI.

One of the most entertaining rounds—if not the most entertaining round—of football is now in the books, leaving two teams in each conference to battle it out for a trip to Super Bowl LVI. 

While the Seahawks failed to play a role in this year's postseason, they will still have several connections to championship weekend. From a pair of division rivals going head-to-head to a plethora of former players set to make an appearance, football fans in the Pacific Northwest will be rather familiar with who's taking center stage. 

Three of the NFL's final four teams—minus the Rams—currently carry players who once called Seattle their football home. Whether they're on the 53-man roster or practice squad, let's go over every former Seahawk eligible for a ring if their respective franchise hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy on February 13.

Cincinnati Bengals

CB Tre Flowers

Kicking the year off as the Seahawks' starting right cornerback, Flowers was claimed by the Bengals after being placed on waivers in Week 5. Since then, he has primarily served as a dime package specialist to cover athletic tight ends such as Travis Kelce and Darren Waller, though his issues in coverage have ultimately followed him to Cincinnati. Through his 125 coverage snaps as a Bengal, opposing pass catchers have reeled in 16 receptions on 26 targets for 166 yards and a touchdown. On special teams, however, the fourth-year man out of Oklahoma State has made some nice contributions as a gunner, including an impressive open-field tackle on Titans punt returner Chester Rogers in a divisional round win. 

San Francisco 49ers

WR Connor Wedington

Signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent this past May, Wedington has been on the 49ers' practice squad since early October. The Tacoma, Washington native was unable to break through a crowded Seattle receiving corps, which entered the regular season with just four members on the team's 53-man roster. San Francisco has not yet elevated him at any point this season, and it's unlikely that will change ahead of championship weekend and beyond. But if the Lombardi heads back to the "Bay Area" in less than a month's time, the current collective bargaining agreement entitles Wedington to some hardware in his first season at the NFL level. 

CB Dontae Johnson

Johnson only suited up for the Seahawks during the 2018 preseason and was released shortly after landing on injured reserve with a groin issue. From there, he bounced around four different organizations before making his way back to San Francisco midway through the 2019 campaign. He's stayed put ever since, serving in a rotational/spot-starting role at every cornerback position and even some safety for Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans' defenses. Starting at right cornerback in a divisional-round win over the Packers this past weekend, Johnson held MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers to a modest 30 yards on three completions—a major boost for an otherwise shaky 49ers secondary. 

Kansas City Chiefs

WR Josh Gordon

Back in the NFL since late September, the oft-suspended Gordon has successfully stayed out of trouble while making minor contributions to the league's most explosive offense remaining. He's been inactive for both of the Chiefs' playoff games thus far and saw very minimal action during the regular season, catching five passes on 14 targets for 32 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. But when it comes to Kansas City, you never know when a talent like Gordon could be given a nod. 

TE Mark Vital

Coming off a national championship victory in basketball with Baylor University, Vital's attention turned to the gridiron with hopes of playing in the NFL. Boasting unique athletic traits and good size, the former hooper signed to the Seahawks' practice squad as a tight end on September 2. Five days later, however, he was released—only to find a new opportunity with the Chiefs' practice squad shortly thereafter. He's stuck ever since, offering head coach Andy Reid and company an intriguing project to develop over the course of this past season. 

DE Frank Clark

Looking to reach his third Super Bowl in as many seasons with the Chiefs, Clark has had a down year by his standards. Posting the third-lowest pressure total of his career (52), the Michigan alum has recorded a meager 4.5 sacks between the regular season and playoffs, despite working with arguably the best supporting cast he's had since arriving in Kansas City. A likely post-June 1 cap casualty, he'll look to turn things around and secure his second ring before potentially having to find a new home later this year. 

DT Jarran Reed

Cut by the Seahawks in March for the sake of saving nearly $9 million in salary cap space, Reed quickly landed with the Chiefs and has had a bit of an up-and-down year. Seattle's former second-round draft pick has struggled mightily against the run, more or less whittling down his value to what he brings as a pass rusher for Kansas City. He's tallied 29 interior pressures through 19 games thus far, with the latest of his 3.5 sacks coming against Bills quarterback Josh Allen in a wild divisional-round win on Sunday. While their individual numbers haven't necessarily been striking since their respective departures from the Pacific Northwest, things have worked out quite well for Reed and Clark.