The 2014 season was the Seattle Seahawks' 39th in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks started the season as the defending Super Bowl champions for the first time in franchise history.
The season began with a 36–16 victory over the Green Bay Packers in their first meeting since the controversial Fail Mary Game. After struggling to a 3–3 record, which included a rare home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, they went on a 9–1 run to finish the season, which included a sweep of their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, who battled with them the whole season. They repeated as NFC West champions and finished in a three-way tie with the Packers and Cowboys for the NFC's best record, but they earned the No. 1 seed based on intra-conference tiebreaker, securing home-field advantage for the second consecutive season. Not only are they first defending Super Bowl champion to do so since the 1990 San Francisco 49ers, but also the first NFC team to repeat as the No. 1 seed in the conference since the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles, and the first team to do so since the 2013 Denver Broncos.
The Seahawks fielded the #1 rushing attack in the league with Marshawn Lynch finishing the year with 1,306 yards and a league-leading 13 rushing touchdowns. In addition to Lynch, Russell Wilson had one of the most prolific running quarterback seasons ever with a career high 849 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns along with a league-leading 7.2 yards per attempt.
The Seahawks opened the playoffs with a win over the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional round, becoming the first defending champion since the 2005 New England Patriots to win a playoff game the following season. In one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, the Seahawks advanced to Super Bowl XLIX by defeating the Green Bay Packers 28–22 in overtime after trailing 16–0 at halftime and 19–7 with less than three minutes left in regulation. In doing so, they became the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to repeat as conference champions, the first NFC team since the 1997 Green Bay Packers to repeat as NFC Champions, the first team to go to consecutive Super Bowls as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs since the 1990–1991 Buffalo Bills, and the first NFC team to go to consecutive Super Bowls as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs since the 1982–1983 Washington Redskins. In Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks were defeated by the New England Patriots 28–24, thereby being dethroned and failed to become the first back-to-back champion since the 2004 New England Patriots, as well as the first NFC team to do so since the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. This was also the first time head coach Pete Carroll met his former team, the Patriots, and his successor, Bill Belichick in the Super Bowl, as Carroll was the Patriots head coach from 1997 to 1999, the last head coach before Belichick was hired in 2000.
This was also the most recent time that the Seahawks acquired the number one seed in the NFC until 2025 (where they eventually won the Super Bowl by successfully revenging the Patriots that they lost to them). It also currently remains the latest season where a team in the NFC repeated as conference champions from the previous season.
Roster changes
Free agents Position Player 2014 Team Notes CB Brandon Browner UFA New England Patriots Signed 3 year/$16.8 million deal WR Arceto Clark UFA Seattle Seahawks Signed 2 year/$930 thousand deal TE Kellen Davis UFA Detroit Lions Signed 1 year/$730 thousand deal OT Breno Giacomini UFA New York Jets Signed 4 year/$18 million deal K Steven Hauschka UFA Seattle Seahawks Signed 3 year/$12.15 million deal QB Tarvaris Jackson UFA Seattle Seahawks Signed 1 year/$1.25 million deal S Chris Maragos UFA Philadelphia Eagles Signed 3 year/$4 million deal DT Clinton McDonald UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Signed 4 year/$12 million deal G Paul McQuistan UFA Cleveland Browns Signed 2 year/$3 million deal WR Sidney Rice UFA Retired FB Michael Robinson NONE Retired WR Golden Tate UFA Detroit Lions Signed 5 year/$31 million deal CB Walter Thurmond UFA New York Giants Signed 1 year/$3 million deal WR Bryan Walters UFA Seattle Seahawks Signed 1 year/$570 thousand deal
Draft
Notes The Seahawks traded their first-round selection (No. 32 overall) to Minnesota in exchange for their second- and fourth-round selection (Nos. 40 and 108 overall). The Seahawks traded the second-round selection (No. 40 overall) that they received from Minnesota, and their fifth-round selection (No. 146 overall) to Detroit in exchange for their second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selection (Nos. 45, 111, and 227 overall). The Seahawks traded their third-round selection (No. 96 overall), along with their 2013 first- and seventh-round selections to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for wide receiver Percy Harvin. The Seahawks traded the fourth-round selection (No. 111 overall) that they received from Detroit, to Cincinnati in exchange for their fourth- and sixth-round selection (Nos. 123 and 199 overall). The Seahawks acquired an additional fifth-round selection (No. 146 overall) in a trade that sent quarterback Matt Flynn to the Oakland Raiders. The Seahawks traded their seventh-round selection (No. 247 overall) to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
Undrafted free agents Position Player College S Dion Bailey USC LB Brock Coyle Montana TE Chase Dixon UCA OT Garry Gilliam Penn State OG Bronson Irwin Oklahoma DE Jackson Jeffcoat Texas CB Jimmy Legree South Carolina DT Andru Pulu EWU
Personnel Staff / Coaches
Final roster
Starters in bold.
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 at Denver Broncos L 16–21 0–1 Sports Authority Field at Mile High 75,593 Recap 2 San Diego Chargers W 41–14 1–1 CenturyLink Field 67,615 Recap 3 Chicago Bears W 34–6 2–1 CenturyLink Field 67,608 Recap 4 at Oakland Raiders L 31–41 2–2 O.co Coliseum 50,831 Recap
Regular season Divisional matchups: the NFC West played the NFC East and the AFC West.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 4 Green Bay Packers W 36–16 1–0 CenturyLink Field 68,424 Recap 2 September 14 at San Diego Chargers L 21–30 1–1 Qualcomm Stadium 67,916 Recap 3 September 21 Denver Broncos W 26–20 2–1 CenturyLink Field 68,447 Recap 4Bye 5 at Washington Redskins W 27–17 3–1 FedExField 79,522 Recap 6 October 12 Dallas Cowboys L 23–30 3–2 CenturyLink Field 68,432 Recap 7 October 19 at St. Louis Rams L 26–28 3–3 Edward Jones Dome 57,855 Recap 8 October 26 at Carolina Panthers W 13–9 4–3 Bank of America Stadium 74,042 Recap 9 November 2 Oakland Raiders W 30–24 5–3 CenturyLink Field 68,337 Recap 10 November 9 New York Giants W 38–17 6–3 CenturyLink Field 68,352 Recap 11 November 16 at Kansas City Chiefs L 20–24 6–4 Arrowhead Stadium 76,463 Recap 12 November 23 Arizona Cardinals W 19–3 7–4 CenturyLink Field 68,327 Recap 13 November 27 at San Francisco 49ers W 19–3 8–4 Levi's Stadium 70,799 Recap 14 December 7 at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–14 9–4 Lincoln Financial Field 69,596 Recap 15 December 14 San Francisco 49ers W 17–7 10–4 CenturyLink Field 68,526 Recap 16 December 21 at Arizona Cardinals W 35–6 11–4 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,806 Recap 17 December 28 St. Louis Rams W 20–6 12–4 CenturyLink Field 68,453 Recap
Bold indicates division opponents. Source: 2014 NFL season results2014 NFL season results, NFL.com, accessed February 14, 2015.
Postseason
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Wild CardFirst-round bye Divisional Carolina Panthers (4) W 31–17 1–0 CenturyLink Field 68,524 Recap NFC Championship January 18, 2015 Green Bay Packers (2) W 28–22 2–0 CenturyLink Field 68,538 Recap Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 vs. New England Patriots (A1) L 24–28 2–1 University of Phoenix Stadium 70,288 Recap
Standings
Division
Conference
Game summaries
Preseason
Week P1: at Denver Broncos
Week P2: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week P3: vs. Chicago Bears
Week P4: at Oakland Raiders
Regular season
Week 1: vs. Green Bay Packers NFL Kickoff game
The Seahawks started their 2014 season at home against the Packers, the first meeting since the controversial 'Fail Mary' game in 2012. With the win, they became the first defending Super Bowl champion team since 2011 (also Packers) to win their regular season opening game for a 1–0 start.
This is the first game in NFL history to end in a score of 36–16. In all five years that Pete Carroll was head coach of the Seahawks, so far, he has had at least one game end in a score never before achieved.
Week 2: at San Diego Chargers
This would be their largest margin of defeat since their 23–13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2011.
Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos
This would be the first Super Bowl rematch (Super Bowl opponents in the previous year who face each other again in the current year) since 1997. Although the Broncos would rally in the 4th quarter to send the game into overtime, the Seahawks scored a touchdown in overtime to win. They entered their bye week at 2–1.
Week 5: at Washington Redskins
Percy Harvin had three touchdowns in this game negated by penalties. This was his penultimate game with the Seahawks.
Week 6: vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys defeated the Seahawks 30–23. The Seahawks suffered only their second home loss since Russell Wilson became the starting quarterback at the start of the 2012 season (the other loss was to the Cardinals in Week 16 of the 2013 season). Wilson struggled mightily, going 14/28 for only 126 yards with 1 rushing touchdown, 0 touchdown passes, and a game sealing interception. The defense also gave up several big plays, including a 3rd and 20 first down conversion in the 4th quarter. The conversion eventually led to a touchdown that put the Cowboys up 27–23. The 30 points that were allowed by the Seahawks were the most they allowed in any home game in the Wilson era. With the loss, the Seahawks fell to 3–2 on the season.
Week 7: at St. Louis Rams
Week 8: at Carolina Panthers
This was the first Seahawks road game to be televised by CBS since 2001, their last year in the AFC West.
Week 9: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 10: vs. New York Giants
Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers Thanksgiving Day game
Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles
With the win, the Seahawks finished 3-1 against the NFC East.
Week 15: vs. San Francisco 49ers
With the win, not only did the Seahawks knock the 49ers out of the playoffs, but they also swept the 49ers for the first time since 2007.
Week 16: at Arizona Cardinals
With this win, the Seahawks completed a comeback against the Cardinals they started in week 12 from 3 games back in the division with 6 to play. They also swept the Cardinals for the first time since 2010 and finished 5-3 on the road.
Week 17: vs. St. Louis Rams
With this win, Seattle clinched the NFC West, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs for the second consecutive season. Seattle also finished 5-1 against the NFC West and 7-1 at home.
Postseason
Seattle entered the postseason as the #1 seed in the NFC.
NFC Divisional Playoff: vs. #4 Carolina Panthers
The Seahawks defeated the Panthers 31–17, becoming the first defending Super Bowl champion to win a playoff game since the 2005 Patriots, and advanced to their second consecutive NFC Championship Game.
NFC Championship Game: vs. #2 Green Bay Packers