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4 things the Seattle Seahawks should be thankful for on Thanksgiving

The Seattle Seahawks are 8-3, one of the league's best records. It is accurate and indicative of who they are, because they've shown they are one of the league's best teams. They can beat any team. So on Thanksgiving, there is a ton to be thankful for.

Mike Macdonald

The Seahawks defense is outstanding. It is a Super Bowl-level unit, capable of carrying this team to wins (or near-wins even when the offense produces four turnovers). They have been able to shut down almost every opponent.

But the unit is greater than the sum of its parts. There are really good players, but there's no Myles Garrett, Sauce Gardner, Derrick Brown, Fred Warner, or other superstar making them better. It's all down to Macdonald, who is a fantastic head coach that just so happens to man an exceptional defensive unit, too.

Sam Darnold

Sam Darnol

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) drops back during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The turnovers are beginning to become a problem, but they were a much bigger issue with Geno Smith, who has been awful this year. Moving on from him and getting Sam Darnold was a stroke of genius, and his play is a big reason this team can absolutely win the Super Bowl.

Darnold may also crater their hopes at the worst time, a la 2024 Vikings, but he's also going to be a big reason they're in the playoffs and are one of the best teams in the league. After some mediocrity with Smith, that is a huge step in the right direction to be thankful for.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Maybe the biggest reason Darnold is playing well is because he has the best pass-catcher on the planet to throw to. Why bother developing much chemistry with others when he can literally just look for JSN down the field?

We could detail a ton of stats that show just how insane Smith-Njigba, who should be the Offensive Player of the Year and an MVP candidate, has been. But one does it pretty well. On 20% of his routes, he's recorded a first down. Not catches or even targets, but routes. When he runs a route, there's a one-in-five chance the Seahawks are going to convert with him, which is just unfathomable.

Klint Kubiak

Sure, the Seahawks have offensive pieces (JSN, Darnold, Kenneth Walker) that have molded this unit into one of the NFL's elite, but they had good pieces before. DK Metcalf and JSN were here last year, as was Walker. Darnold's been great, but Klint Kubiak's arrival might be even more important.

He's unlocked Smith-Njigba, done well with the running backs, and mitigated Darnold's shortcomings. He's even managed to offset what had previously been one of the league's worst offensive lines. Grey Zabel alone didn't fix the problem, and Kubiak deserves a ton of credit.