Byron Murphy Quietly Addresses Being Overlooked for All-Pro

Byron Murphy II might not be calling out the ones who overlooked him for All-Pro, but its on his mind.

Oct 20, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) celebrates after a play during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks have created one of the most feared defenses in the league over the last few years. One of the biggest reasons is that they have reliable stars throughout the field who are tenacious and unselfish. Right in the middle of the aggressive Dark Side Defense that finished the season ranked first in the league in scoring defense is nose tackle Byron Murphy II. Within two seasons, Murphy has been a monster, stopping the opposing offense’s running game and creating terror in the backfield. Despite the Super Bowl title, Murphy is still one of the most undervalued players in the league.

Murphy Shares His Goals for the 2026 Season

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the New England Patriots during the third quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Murphy accounted for numbers last season that should have named him a Pro-Bowler and some consideration for an All-Pro. He was left out for players who had less success, but has the name recognition like Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter. Murphy accounted for 62 total tackles, 13 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss and seven sacks. Throughout the season, Murphy’s ability to wreck the line of scrimmage and allow him or other defenders to make a tackle on or behind the line of scrimmage was a huge reason for Seattle having the third-ranked rushing defense.

While he and the 12 understand how vital he is in just a short amount of time in the league, he isn’t a player that most NFL media think of when naming top run-defenders. Murphy outpaced Carter in most statistical categories in a shorter amount of time, but Carter’s name and the East Coast bias keep Murphy undervalued. He is looking to earn his recognition with an even bigger 2026 season as he shared with Sports Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“I want to be All-Pro, Pro-Bowl, Pro-Bowl guy, I want 10 plus sacks because I know I’m type of player. I know I can be the best D-Tackle in this league. In order to do that, I got make strides each and every day. Just work on my game, but yeah man, I’m aiming high this high.”

How Can Murphy Be Different in 2026

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) in the second half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There is certainly a lack of respect for Murphy, and he acknowledges it even if he isn’t saying it out loud. He understands that he needs to account for 10 or more sacks this upcoming season if he wants to be named an All-Pro or, at least, a Pro-Bowler for the first time in his successful young career. There aren’t many times that a nose tackle like him could account for 10 or more sacks a season, but he was only three away from that last season.

Murphy is a player that often gets double-teamed by the offensive line as he is in the one-technique spot. There might be some new packages where he moves more outside to the three-technique and have Jarran Reed, Brandon Pili, or rookies Deven Eastern or Uso Seumelo take up the space in the middle of the line of scrimmage.

Like Jalen Carter and Quinnen Williams, Murphy is a tenacious big-bodied athlete who can chase the ballcarriers. If Murphy can add more quick twitch and speed to his pass rush, he will be an even more dangerous defender. Murphy may have overshadowed last season, but he is making sure that won’t happen again, especially considering he might want a new extension in the future. The Seahawks have already made big moves in the future to plan for players like him.

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