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Rashid Shaheed trade making enormous impact for first-place Seahawks

The former Saints’ wide receiver didn’t do much in his first four games with the Seahawks. The big-play performer has more than made up for that as of late.
Russell Baxter|
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

It took a little time for the general manager John Schneider’s midseason acquisition to get his bearings. Now former New Orleans Saints’ wide receiver and all-purpose performer Rashid Shaheed has added another dimension to the Seattle Seahawks.

In his first four games with his new employer, Shaheed was targeted 11 times and caught four passes for 37 yards. He totaled five rushing attempts for 36 yards. There were five kickoff returns for 105 yards, and his eight punt returns covered 103 yards.

The turnaround has been dramatic. In the 37-9 victory at Atlanta, Shaheed broke a 6-6 tie at intermission with a 100-yard kickoff return for a score, and also caught four passes for 67 yards.

In last week’s nail-biting win over the visiting Colts, he had his best game as a Seahawk in terms of catches (5) and receiving yards (74). Shaheed also returned five kickoffs for 131 yards in the 18-16 victory.

On Thursday night, the four-year pro was targeted once and didn’t catch a pass. However, his 58-yard punt return for a score midway through the fourth quarter (and subsequent successful 2-point conversion) narrowed the Rams’ lead to 30-22 and got the ball rolling on the comeback.

The next time Seattle got the ball, Rasheed gained 31 yards on a run, setting up Sam Darnold’s 26-yard TD pass to tight end A.J. Barner. Add on that fascinating two-point conversion via Zach Charbonnet that tied the game at 30-all and then the real fun began. It would end with the Seahawks prevailing in overtime, 38-37.

Hence, in his last three games with Mike Macdonald’s club, Shaheed has caught nine passes for 141 yards, run the ball twice for 28 yards, returned eight kickoffs for 279 yards and one score, put taken back two punts for 64 yards. That’s 512 total combined yards and two touchdowns, impressive numbers indeed for a player that has quick-strike ability and one that was familiar with Klint Kubiak’s offense a year ago in New Orleans.

It cost Schneider a fourth and a fifth round draft choice in 2026 to obtain Shaheed, and that currently looks like a real bargain.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.