Breakdown: How Seahawks have rare continuity for Super Bowl champ

Two weeks after the Seattle Seahawks captured their franchise’s second Super Bowl title this past February, general manager John Schneider discussed his offseason goals while speaking to reporters at the league’s scouting combine.

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In short, Schneider emphasized his desire to retain as many players as possible from a team that finished 17-3 with a plus-246 point differential across the regular season and postseason – the highest such mark by a Super Bowl champion since 1999.

“When you get done with something special like that, you’re like, yeah, let’s run it back, let’s run it back,” Schneider said. “It’s a really cool team and they’re all special people. We’re going to try to retain as many of those guys as we possibly can.”

Consider it mission accomplished.

Super Bowl winners often see their rosters picked apart the following offseason, but the Seahawks managed to maintain a rare level of continuity for a defending champion.

The Seahawks are returning 86.9% of their combined offensive and defensive snaps from last season (including both the regular season and postseason). That’s the third-highest rate among a reigning Super Bowl champion since 2010, trailing only the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (98%) and the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs (87%).

For context, the Seahawks’ 2013 Super Bowl-winning team returned 76.9% of its snaps the following season.

Here’s a closer look at how the Seahawks’ roster continuity stacks up against recent Super Bowl champs.

NOTES: The years listed below correspond to the season in which that team won the Super Bowl. The percentages are the rate of returning snaps heading into training camp the following offseason. All data is based on combined snap counts across the regular season and postseason, according to Stathead and Pro Football Focus.

Overall snaps retained (since 2010)

The Seahawks lost four key contributors in free agency – Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, safety Coby Bryant, edge rusher Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen. But keep in mind, Mafe was Seattle’s third or fourth edge rusher on the depth chart, and Woolen was the team’s third cornerback.

So in reality, the Seahawks retained 20 of their 22 starters. And on top of that, they brought back nearly every other key contributor from their 53-man roster and beyond.

2020 Buccaneers – 98%
2019 Chiefs – 87%
2025 Seahawks – 86.9%
2010 Packers – 86.5%
2016 Patriots – 84.6%
2023 Chiefs – 80.9%
2017 Eagles – 79.7%
2011 Giants – 78.2%
2013 Seahawks – 76.9%
2018 Patriots – 76.8%
2014 Patriots – 76%
2024 Eagles – 75.2%
2022 Chiefs – 74.7%
2021 Rams – 70.7%
2012 Ravens – 66.9%
2015 Broncos – 66.6%

Offensive snaps retained (since 2010)

The Seahawks retained 95% of their offensive snaps from last season, including 14 of their 15 players who logged at least 300 offensive snaps across the regular season and postseason.

2020 Buccaneers – 96.1%
2025 Seahawks – 95%
2016 Patriots – 94.8%
2019 Chiefs – 89.3%
2024 Eagles – 84.8%
2014 Patriots – 83.7%
2017 Eagles – 83.5%
2010 Packers – 81.9%
2012 Ravens – 81.5%
2023 Chiefs – 80.5%
2013 Seahawks – 75.8%
2011 Giants – 75.6%
2022 Chiefs – 75%
2021 Rams – 70.7%
2018 Patriots – 69.4%
2015 Broncos – 56%

Defensive snaps retained (since 2010)

The Seahawks retained 79.2% of their defensive snaps from last season, including 14 of their 17 players who logged at least 300 defensive snaps across the regular season and postseason.

2020 Buccaneers – 99.9%
2010 Packers – 91.2%
2018 Patriots – 85%
2019 Chiefs – 84.7%
2023 Chiefs – 81.4%
2011 Giants – 80.8%
2025 Seahawks – 79.2%
2013 Seahawks – 77.9%
2015 Broncos – 77%
2017 Eagles – 75.6%
2022 Chiefs – 74.4%
2016 Patriots – 73.2%
2021 Rams – 70.8%
2014 Patriots – 67.9%
2024 Eagles – 64.8%
2012 Ravens – 53.2%

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