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Seahawks 2024 Season Awards: Second-Year EDGE Wins Most Improved Player

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Seahawks 2024 Season Awards: Second-Year EDGE Wins Most Improved Player


It’s been just over two weeks since the Seattle Seahawks concluded their 2024 season. Even though it missed the playoffs, Seattle had multiple players worthy of recognition on a franchise level.

The Seahawks had just one Pro Bowler (cornerback Devon Witherspoon) and were absent from the Associated Press All-Pro teams despite a few players being worthy of recognition.

Our writing staff voted on season awards for the Seahawks on a team level via a ranked-choice system. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth five points and a third-place vote is worth three points.

The awards mirror that of the NFL’s leaguewide awards, with the addition of a Most Improved Player honor. The other awards are: Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

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First on the list of awards is the Seahawks’ Most Improved Player from the 2024 season. On the final voting tally, the number listed before a player’s name is their total points received and the number in parenthesis is the first-place votes received, if any.

Final voting: 1. 40, EDGE Derick Hall (3); 2. 31, S Coby Bryant (2); T-3. 8, CB Josh Jobe; T-3. 8, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba; 5. 3, LT Charles Cross

This was one of just two award races where multiple players received two or more first-place votes. Hall and Bryant both had strong cases, as each went from being backups last season to primary contributors or full-time starters by the end of the season.

Hall, a 2023 second-round pick, embarked on a rapid rise in 2024. After having zero sacks as a rookie last season, the former Auburn prospect tallied eight sacks this season in addition to 37 tackles, six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a 36-yard scoop-and-score against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.

Even when he wasn’t bringing the quarterback down, Hall was consistently pressuring opposing passers, finishing tied for 10th among all edge rushers with 13 quarterback hits. His 45 total pressures tied for fourth among Seattle defenders.

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Hall was expected to make at least somewhat of a leap this season, with a fellow Seahawks edge rusher praising the second-year player after recording his first career sack in Week 1.

“He’s hungry. He’s ready to go out there and prove what he can do,” veteran Uchenna Nwosu said of Hall during training camp in late July. “From the offseason training that he’s put in until now, you can see it out there. He’s committed more than ever.”

Perhaps nobody could have anticipated how good he would be in year two, with Boye Mafe and Nwosu expected to lead the edge rusher group. But Nwosu missed 11 games, opening the door for Hall to start 14.

Hall more than doubled his defensive snap count from 2023, finishing with 673 in his second season (308 as a rookie). His pressure rate jumped from just over 8 percent last season to 12.2 percent.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) fumbles while under pursuit from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58).

Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) fumbles while under pursuit from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. New York recovered the fumble. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Bryant in second feels fitting considering his evolution as a starting safety. That transition began last season, but Bryant played in just nine games.

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Once former starter Rayshawn Jenkins was placed on injured reserve, Bryant started Seattle’s final 11 games en route to by far the best season of his three-year career. Jenkins became the third safety once he returned to the lineup.

In 17 appearances, Bryant finished with 73 tackles, six pass deflections and three interceptions — one of which he returned 69 yards for a touchdown in Week 12. He did have 70 tackles, four forced fumbles and two sacks as a rookie in 2022, but he didn’t display the every-down talent that warranted making him a full-time starter.

Cornerback Josh Jobe and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba tied for third.

Jobe went undrafted in 2022 and played two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before being waived ahead of the 2024 season. Seattle signed Jobe to its practice squad in late August and he ended up playing in 10 games (six starts), totaling 37 tackles, seven pass deflections and an interception. He evolved into the starting outside cornerback opposite Riq Woolen in the latter part of the season.

Smith-Njigba led all Seahawks receivers with 100 catches, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns. His reception total tied Tyler Lockett’s single-season record, set in 2020. Smith-Njigba is firmly in contention for other awards in this series.

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Seahawks former first-round left tackle Charles Cross also received one third-place vote.

Hall’s production may jump even further in 2025 if edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones is cut as a result of his massive contract. Seattle’s younger options are producing more and are far cheaper.

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Kraken Extend Streak In Comeback OT Loss | Seattle Kraken

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Kraken Extend Streak In Comeback OT Loss | Seattle Kraken


And while Dunn’s head coach insisted afterwards he doesn’t believe in “measuring stick games” the Kraken measured up fairly well in this one considering they played a pretty poor first period and needed half of the second frame to get any type of offense going against the league’s No. 2 defensive unit.

But they eventually got it going and the salvaged point, as Dunn mentioned, was huge in that it allowed the Kraken to remain in third place in the Pacific Division – just two points behind leaders Vegas and Edmonton – as they now embark on a five-city road trip. They extended their points streak to 10 games in the process, going 8-0-2 that stretch to transform a season hinging on the brink.

Mats Zuccarello got the overtime winner for Minnesota, converting a Kirill Kaprizov pass off a 2-on-1 break after the Kraken had been foiled just moments prior on their own odd-man rush. That foiled an outstanding night for Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer, who’d made several huge stops in both overtime and the third period to keep things tied, as well as prior to that frame to give his team the shot at a comeback.

The Kraken had spent the past week filling opposition nets with pucks but waited until the final 17 minutes to score their first goal of this game. By that point, they’d been trailing 2-0 since a pair of 42-foot wrist shot goals by Ryan Hartman and Brock Faber in the first period silenced the home crowd.

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“The first period was awful, and our execution was probably the biggest part of that,” Dunn said. “It’s just tough when you’re chasing the game a little bit to start the game. So, we kind of set ourselves up for the second period to come out and play the right way and I thought as the game went on, we got a lot better.

“And I thought it was a pretty competitive game both ways. A lot of chances both ways.”

Grubauer kept things close from there, stopping 31 of 34 shots on the night to give his team a chance to get back in it.

Adam Larsson then got the Kraken on the board three minutes into the final period with a slap shot goal from the right circle after Dunn had rung one off the post on a prior blast seconds earlier. And the Kraken weren’t done yet.

The Wild ran into penalty trouble not long after and the Kraken capitalized on the power play with Matty Beniers banging home a net front rebound off a Jared McCann shot that lifted the home side into a 2-2 tie and sent the Climate Pledge Arena crowd into a frenzy.

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Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle

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Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle


Heavyweights will collide in “Rain City.”

MMAmania.com confirmed with multiple sources today (Thurs., Jan. 8, 2026) that No. 10-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Marcin Tybura will take on surging Brazilian prospect Valter Walker at UFC Seattle on Sat., March 28, 2026, inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.

Walker (15-1) stumbled out of the gate in his UFC debut, suffering a loss to Lukasz Brzeski in 2024. Since then, however, “Clean Monster” has completely rewritten the narrative — and the UFC record books.

Walker opened 2025 by submitting Don’Tale Mayes with a heel hook (watch highlights), his second straight victory via the technique. Five months later, he followed it up with another first-round heel hook against Kennedy Nzechukwu (watch highlights), setting a new UFC record for most consecutive heel hook submission wins with three.

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But he wasn’t finished.

At UFC 321 in Oct. 2025, Walker once again locked in a first-round heel hook — this time against Louie Sutherland — tying Rousimar Palhares for the most heel hook submissions (four) in UFC history while extending his own record for consecutive heel hook finishes (watch it).

A win in Seattle would almost certainly vault Walker into the Top 10 of the Heavyweight rankings.

Tybura (27-10), meanwhile, will be defending his No. 10 spot when he steps into the cage. The Polish veteran went 1-1 in 2025, handing highly touted U.K. prospect Mick Parkin his first professional loss at UFC London before suffering a quick knockout loss to debuting Ante Delija at UFC Paris (watch highlights), snapping a two-fight win streak.

Now 40 years old, Tybura is 5-3 over his last eight appearances.

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Here are some other bouts currently scheduled for UFC Seattle:

Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes

Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber

Nicolle Caliari vs. Carol Fiori

To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.

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Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building

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Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building


There were at least 200 protesters that showed up in Seattle Wednesday night in what speakers called an “emergency protest” in response to the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis Wednesday.

“We want justice, we want peace, we want justice, we want peace, we want ICE off our streets, we want ice off our streets…” they chanted.

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Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Seattle protesters outside the Federal Building following a fatal shooting by ICE agents in Minneapolis. (FOX 13 Seattle)

After listening to speakers, protesters went on the march and circled the blocks near the Federal Building in Seattle.

Though the protest was organized on short notice, some protesters say they were compelled to come out Wednesday with urgency because they felt what happened in Minneapolis was a bridge too far.

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What they’re saying:

“ICE has gone too far. We’ve felt this, we’ve known this for a long time. There have been people protesting,” said Raleigh Watts, protesting the ICE shooting. “We’ve been hearing the news. Today I came out because when I heard, it was my sign that a line has been crossed that I can’t stand anymore. So, I’ve come to say, ‘No ICE, you’ve gone too far’.”

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“A lot of people out here are really, really angry, confused and sad, but I think we have what it takes to fight back,” said Sophia Van Beek, protesting the MN ICE shooting. “I’m certain there are going to be actions.”

Sophia says in order to make a difference, protesters need to create an actionable political program.

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

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Members of law enforcement were in the area and helped to block off the streets during the protest and march. There were no clashes during this protest and it wrapped up at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. 

“I am proud of all the hundreds of people who have turned out tonight at the federal building in Seattle. I’m proud of the people who are in Tacoma that are protesting at the ice detention center and in Minneapolis and in cities across the country. This is not okay for ICE to kill somebody,” said Watts.

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What’s next:

Some people at Wednesday’s demonstration said they were planning to organize more protests in the coming weeks.

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The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.

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