An unlikely hero: New Seahawks cornerback shines in win
Sep 15, 2025, 8:18 AM | Updated: 8:32 am
Heading into Sunday’s Week 2 clash between the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers, the big storyline was DK Metcalf squaring off against his former team.
It was another DK who ended up delivering one of the game’s biggest plays.
Seahawks cornerback Derion Kendrick – who was claimed off waivers less than three weeks ago – snagged a deflected pass in the end zone for a diving third-quarter interception that helped propel his new team to a 31-17 road win over the Steelers.
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Kendrick was filling in at the nickel corner spot for two-time All-Pro Devon Witherspoon, who was out with a knee injury. Kendrick played seven special teams snaps in last week’s opener against the San Francisco 49ers, but hadn’t appeared on defense for the Seahawks until Sunday.
Kendrick and safety D’Anthony Bell – who was elevated from the practice squad to fill in for injured rookie Nick Emmanwori – both rose to the occasion and helped Seattle’s shorthanded defense hold Pittsburgh to just 267 total yards.
“Our coaches deserve a lot of credit getting Derion ready to go and D-Bell,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. “It’s hard to learn our system in two weeks, and DK I thought had a really good game. Obviously had the interception, which was a tremendous play, a game-changing play.”
Derion Kendrick gets his interception on Aaron Rodgers!
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— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025
Kendrick’s interception came in the latter part of the third quarter, with the game tied 14-14 and the Steelers facing third-and-goal from the 4-yard line.
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers rolled left and tried to fire a low line-drive pass toward tight end Pat Freiermuth in the left corner of the end zone. However, wide receiver Calvin Austin III was also in the vicinity and made a diving attempt at the ball, deflecting it up into the air.
Kendrick, who was blanketing Freiermuth with tight coverage, quickly reacted and snagged the ball while tumbling over Freiermuth for a game-changing pick.
Kendrick had an excellent game overall, allowing just two receptions for 13 yards on five targets, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had a pair of pass breakups, including a dropped interception in the first half.
But when the ball found him again on that pivotal third-and-goal play, he made sure to hang on.
It was the second interception of Kendrick’s career. The other one, coincidentally, came in a November 2023 game against the Seahawks, when he picked off Drew Lock on a fourth-quarter sideline pass intended for Tyler Lockett.
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Kendrick, a 2022 sixth-round draft pick out of Georgia, made a combined 18 starts for the Rams over his first two NFL seasons. Along the way, he totaled 14 pass breakups.
But after missing the 2024 season with a torn ACL, Kendrick was waived by the Rams during the Aug. 26 roster cutdowns.
The Seahawks quickly pounced, claiming him off waivers and adding him to their 53-man roster the following day.
And on Sunday, it paid off big-time.
“He’s always been a baller,” said Seahawks safety Coby Bryant, who was selected two rounds ahead of Kendrick in the 2022 draft. “We came out together (during the draft process). We had a tremendous amount of faith in him, and we knew he was gonna come out and perform.”
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