Refining a popular NFL adage, Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Derick Hall said, “Pass rush wins championships.”
The former Auburn standout contributed eight sacks and 20 quarterback hits toward winning a title for Seattle last season, but the Seahawks finished tied for eighth in the NFL with 45 sacks and missed the playoffs despite a 10-7 record.
For 2025, Seattle returns its top four in sacks and signed four-time Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence after he played 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
“They pay guys to sack quarterbacks,” Hall said during an appearance on KIRO-AM’s “Seattle Sports.” “And, I mean, I feel like if you do that, there’s no chance for the offense to be able to get going, so I think being disruptive at the front is huge. And I think that shows the importance of Coach Mike (Macdonald) and (defensive coordinator Aden Durde) and these guys here. I mean, they bring guys in for the front to be stout. I mean, from top to bottom, we have ones and twos who can go out and be a starter on a lot of teams across this league.”
A second-round draft pick from Auburn in 2023, Hall played in every game as a rookie, but he made more contributions on special teams than on defense. In 2023, Hall did not have any sacks and recorded three quarterback hits as he got on the field for 307 defensive snaps and 287 special-teams plays. Last season, Hall had 674 defensive snaps and 90 special-teams plays as he started 14 of Seattle’s 17 games.
“I think just knowing what to expect,” Hall said about the difference between Year 1 and Year 2. “Like, your rookie year, you’re coming to a new place. You don’t know what’s around. You don’t know nobody. You’re moving out by yourself. You got to find a home. Like, there’s just so much that go into a rookie season, so many challenges and different things that you have to face and then worry about playing ball and then worry about trying to meet the guys and then worry about trying to fit in and how this is going to go, how that’s going to go. You know, it’s a lot that’s on your plate.
“And I feel like you worry so much about trying to be in the present moment that you really forget what got you here, and that’s continue to do what you did every day to play the game. And I felt like there was a lot of struggles my rookie year from that, and then you also want to grow so fast. Come from being so successful in college and then getting here and not being so successful. You, like, wonder, like, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ It’s not what you’re doing wrong. It’s what you’re doing right to be able to continue to grow. And I feel like that’s what helped me out from Year 1 to Year 2 is just continue to come out, put my best foot forward every day, not worry about the mistakes, because mistakes are going to happen. Just continue to play fast, be team-oriented and continue to try to help this team grow. And I feel like that showed a lot.”
Hall registered his first NFL sack in the Seahawks’ 2024 season-opener, when he took down former Auburn teammate Bo Nix in a 26-20 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 8.
Two weeks later, Hall made his first NFL start and recorded two sacks and four quarterback hits in a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
“That was, like, my first true game where I’m like, ‘Wow, like, OK, I can truly do this. Yeah,’” Hall said. “And I feel like as a rookie, that’s the stuff you battle. Like, am I really good enough to play in this league?
“And coming into Year 2 and being able to put my best foot forward, going through preseason, having a great preseason, great training camp, getting into the season, first game against the Broncos, got my first sack. Boom. That’s off the board. You get to New England, have some really good rushes, playing good ball. Then Game 3, oh, you’re starting, by the way. Like, ‘Oh, OK.’ Just trying to take it all in, process it, being able to go out and just play ball, and I think that that’s the game that it really, really just broke open for me.”
The Seahawks have two days of mandatory minicamp remaining to finish their offseason program.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
The Seattle Seahawks lost a key member of the front office to the Minnesota Vikings, as the NFC North team named Nolan Teasley its new general manager. The hire could change the fortunes of both teams in the immediate future.
Teasley will be taking over a Vikings team that isn’t far away from contending. One of the key reasons the team fired former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasn’t that he couldn’t build a collection of talent, but that he didn’t seem to understand how to get the best possible answer at the most important position in sports: Quarterback.
Vikings fans watched as former QB1 in Minnesota, Sam Darnold, signed with the Seahawks last offseason, and then followed that by helping lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. That was Seattle’s second title. Minnesota has never won a Super Bowl.
Teasley, though, has the experience and, clearly, the ability to create an environment in which a team will thrive. He has been working with general manager John Schneider in Seattle since 2013, and has worked in scouting and been the director of pro personnel. He has most recently served as Schneider’s assistant GM.
Schneider could very well be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day after leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl wins. Still, with teams with two completely different rosters and coaching staffs (Schneider is the only GM to ever do that), Teasley would have learned at the knee of one of the best to ever perform general manager duties.
Nolan Teasley could also be entering a situation where his new team is already poised to make a deep run in the playoffs. Minnesota finished 9-8 last season despite the fact that its quarterback play was among the worst in the NFL. This offseason, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray.
Murray underwhelmed or was injured throughout his career with the Arizona Cardinals, as Seattle Seahawks fans know well due to their favorite team counting on two wins every season against the NFC West brethren, but under the wise direction of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, Murray could be coaxed into playing a much better form of football.
As the Minnesota Vikings play in the NFC, and could potentially be a difficult obstacle for the Seahawks to repeat as Super Bowl champions, Teasley is already in a good spot. The issue for Seattle is that Teasley is smart enough to make moves to get Minnesota even better well into the future. A great rivalry between Seattle and the Vikings might be about to start.
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SEATTLE – After waking up to a smattering of clouds this morning, skies gradually cleared through the afternoon as sunshine increased around Western Washington. Temperatures climbed into the low 60s for many communities, making for a pleasant and quiet start to the weekend.
What’s next:
Sunday will remain mild and dry with a little more warmth expected across the region. Winds will shift to a more northerly direction, helping temperatures inch upward compared to Saturday.
Sunny weather helps Seattle reach the low to mid 80s Tuesday during the warmest day of the week. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The warming trend will continue Monday as highs climb into the 70s under mostly sunny skies.
By Tuesday, a developing thermal trough along the Cascades will help usher in the warmest air of the week. Sunshine is expected throughout the day with temperatures soaring into the low to mid 80s for many communities.
Some of the traditionally warmer locations could climb even higher. The warmer, drier air will also raise fire danger across parts of the region.
This weather pattern helps Seattle experience sinking air, abundant sunshine, and significantly warmer temperatures. (FOX 13 Seattle)
If you’re planning to cool off at area lakes, rivers, creeks, or streams, remember that water temperatures remain dangerously cold despite the warmer air. Wearing a life vest is strongly encouraged.
Stay heat aware on Tuesday as Seattle weather warms quickly while rivers and lakes remain dangerously cold. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The heat will begin easing Wednesday as temperatures fall back into the low 70s. A cooler onshore flow pattern will continue Thursday and Friday, bringing highs back into the 60s. An isolated shower or two may develop Friday as a weak weather system approaches the Pacific Northwest.
Cooler weather returns to Seattle later in the week with highs back in the 60s and a slight shower chance Friday. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Take good care,
Meteorologist Abby Acone and the FOX 13 Weather Team
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