3 Ways Seahawks Can Avoid Super Bowl Hangover

The Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions, but they have to avoid falling into a trap that past victors have struggled with.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seattle Seahawks are hoping to win their third Lombardi Trophy and become just the 10th team to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

It won't be easy with 31 other teams breathing down their necks trying to get where they want to be, but the Seahawks have built a plan to ensure that they don't get too comfortable with their status as defending champions. Here are three ways the Seahawks can avoid the dreaded and infamous Super Bowl hangover.

Forget About Last Season

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The road to the Super Bowl has already started in off-season workouts, and the team has already adopted the mindset of treating this season as a completely new year. There is no pressure to "repeat" as champions because they aren't thinking about last year. They are simply focused on winning the championship that's in front of them.

"I don’t think that our process or our viewpoint about who we want to become, or how we get there, changes because of the Super Bowl or what we evolved to in terms of what we did every day and what our mentality was because it was the end of the season," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said in a recent interview.

Start the Season Off Strong

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry against the Seattle Seahawks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks won't have things easy on their schedule, as they face four playoff teams from a year ago in their first six games. That all comes before a Week 7 contest on Sunday Night Football against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Seahawks will be tested early and often during the 2026 campaign, but a strong start should get them situated early, which will allow them to take even more pressure off themselves.

Don't Get Comfortable

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold against the New England Patriots. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks shouldn't be satisfied at any point during the year. They will spend the entire season continuing to build towards their goals, and that won't be achieved until the Super Bowl, if they get there. The Seahawks know what it takes to go all the way and how much sacrifice is needed. That will put them in a better spot to possibly go out and win it all.

Ultimately, the Seahawks have to run their own race and keep their pace until the playoffs, where they will be able to turn it up a notch before they try to win another Super Bowl.

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