Byron Murphy II Is An Overlooked Superstar With Room To Grow

Not everyone may have noticed it, but the 2025 Seahawks were perhaps best defined by the massive breakout season of Byron Murphy and his impact on the defense.

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Byron Murphy II gestures during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans. | AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

When I think about the 2025 Seattle Seahawks, a team that went 14-3 and won the super bowl, I’m going to think about a lot of different things. But the first thing that pops into my mind is going to be their run defense. By most metrics, the Seahawks had the top run defense in the NFL, and yet, they lived in nickel more than any other defense in the league.

Those two things should be impossible. By definition, almost. Teams play nickel to place an extra defensive back on the field to help against the pass, at the expense of the run defense. Seattle had their cake and ate it too. The reasons why they managed this are numerous, and include Devon Witherspoon, Nick Emmanwori, Leonard Williams, and Ernest Jones.

The Man In The Middle

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (91) takes part in drills during mini-camp. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

For my money, the number one reason is the play of Byron Murphy II. Other than Mike Macdonald himself, I believe that Murphy is the man to credit. His play in 2025 was extraordinary, and he largely plays out of position, operating at nose tackle despite being a natural three-tech. Although we may not be able to say that at this point.

Obviously, the truth is a little more complicated than just saying that Murphy is a pure nose. The Seahawks do things to put him in better positions to rush the passer as much as they can. But ultimately, Leonard Williams is the pass rushing interior lineman in Seattle, which leaves Murphy as the space-eating tackle. And he certainly eats up space.

The Seahawks allowed 3.8 yards per carry last season, the only team to achieve such a low number, and we’re also #1 in defensive Rush EPA (by a mile) at -0.206. That kind of thing happens because of phenomenal play in the trenches, first and foremost. Murphy sets the tone to allow all the other players to contribute to the run defense.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pass Rush Contributions

And the thing is, Murphy is not lacking in the pass rush department either. Byron actually tied for the team lead in sacks, with seven of them, and then punched in an additional pair in the super bowl. Pro Football Reference gives him twenty-one pressures, and then another three in the playoffs. If you prefer Pro Football Focus, they’re much more generous, with 62 total.

That Murphy is delivering such great results as a pass rusher playing at least partially out of position is remarkable. Hard to imagine this defense pulling off what they did in 2025 without his unique skillset. And the craziest part is that Murphy doesn’t even turn 24 years old until after the upcoming 2026 season gets underway in early September.

Leonard Williams (99) and Byron Murphy II (91) of the Seattle Seahawks celebrate during the third quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints. | Jane Gershovich / Getty Images / The Athletic

What To Expect

I think Murphy can get better, both in a vacuum and if/when he is permitted to play more snaps at three-tech. The only thing that gives me pause on believing that is wondering how much better he can get, given how phenomenal he was last year. But players in the NFL do not typically peak at 23 years old. He should make strides for this team.

Does that mean double-digit sacks? I don’t think it’s unreasonable, particularly if the Seahawks play with the lead most of the time, which is a reasonable assumption. The sky is truly the limit for Murphy as we go forward. And by the time we’re done with the 2026 season, I believe that the rest of the league will know what we already know. He’s a true superstar.

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