Seattle Seahawks face strong NFC West competition entering NFL season

The Seattle Seahawks enter the 2026 NFL season as defending Super Bowl champions but face a difficult path to repeat in the NFC West. The team opens its season against the New England Patriots on September 9 while raising its championship banner. Seattle faces significant competition within its division from the Los Angeles Rams, who added Aaron Donald to a roster featuring Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie. The San Francisco 49ers have also bolstered their lineup by signing Mike Evans. While the Seahawks retain quarterback Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they must manage roster changes including the loss of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker. The league will also host its first regular-season game in Australia during the opening week as part of an increased international schedule.

• 5:34 PMYahoo Sports — Seattle's biggest obstacle to repeating starts in a tough NFC West with the stacked Rams