They just won the Super Bowl… yet the Seattle Seahawks still aren’t getting the respect many fans think they deserve.
And now a new ranking is fueling that debate across the NFL.

Seahawks Still Fighting for Respect Despite Super Bowl Run

The Seattle Seahawks may be the defending Super Bowl champions, but some analysts still believe their roster isn’t the best in the NFL.

Following the first week of NFL free agency, Bleacher Report analyst Moe Moton released updated roster rankings—and Seattle came in at No. 5 overall.

While that’s still a strong position, it placed the Seahawks behind several other contenders, including:

Los Angeles Rams (No. 1)
Philadelphia Eagles
Denver Broncos
Buffalo Bills

For a team that just dominated the playoffs and lifted the Lombardi Trophy, many fans feel the ranking shows the Seahawks are still not receiving proper championship respect.

Free Agency Losses Are Raising Concerns

Part of the reason Seattle didn’t land higher in the rankings stems from several key offseason departures.

During free agency, the Seahawks lost multiple contributors, including:

Running back Kenneth Walker III
Safety Coby Bryant
Cornerback Riq Woolen
Edge rusher Boye Mafe

Walker’s departure may be the most noticeable change.

The former Super Bowl MVP leaves a major hole in Seattle’s backfield, especially with Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL suffered late last season.

The defense also took some hits.

Bryant played a significant role as a starter, while Woolen logged 78 percent of the team’s defensive snaps last year.

If veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence were to retire as well, the Seahawks could face additional pressure on the edge.

Rams Stealing the Offseason Spotlight

While Seattle lost players, their biggest division rival—the Los Angeles Rams—has been dominating headlines.

The Rams made aggressive moves during the opening week of free agency, including a trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and the signing of Jaylen Watson.

Those additions directly address one of the Rams’ biggest weaknesses in the secondary.

As a result, many analysts believe Los Angeles is positioning itself as the early favorite in the NFC West and possibly the entire conference.

Seahawks Fans Aren’t Buying the Narrative

Despite the offseason rankings, many Seahawks observers believe the skepticism is nothing new.

Last season, analysts also underestimated Seattle.

The team responded by:

Winning the NFC West
Securing the No. 1 seed in the conference
Dominating the playoffs
And ultimately winning Super Bowl LX

Seattle even defeated the Rams twice during that run, including a victory in the NFC Championship Game.

Yet despite those results, Los Angeles is once again receiving more offseason hype.

Another NFC West Battle Is Coming

The NFC West is expected to remain one of the NFL’s most competitive divisions in 2026.

Along with the Seahawks and Rams, the San Francisco 49ers also appear in the league’s top roster rankings.

That means Seattle may once again need to prove itself throughout the season.

However, history suggests that could work in the Seahawks’ favor.

Both of Seattle’s previous Super Bowl victories came after defeating division rivals at home in the NFC Championship Game.

If that trend continues, another intense NFC West battle could determine the road to the Super Bowl once again.

The Real Season Still Hasn’t Started

Of course, offseason rankings rarely determine what happens once the games begin.

Roster lists and predictions are entertaining talking points, but the real answers come on the field.

And if the Seahawks have proven anything over the past year, it’s that they thrive when people doubt them.

The rest of the NFL may not be giving Seattle championship respect yet.

But if history repeats itself, the Seahawks may not need it.