The Seahawks Finally Found the Defensive Tackle Pete Carroll Spent Years Chasing

Mike Macdonald may have unlocked the rarest weapon in football: a dominant, pass-rushing defensive tackle who can anchor the NFL’s best defense.

A shark without chum is like a car without gas, and the Seattle Seahawks defense didn’t draft Byron Murphy II in 2024 just so he could swim in circles.

As the Seahawks defense improved in Mike Macdonald’s second season, Seattle became the toughest team in the NFL to run against. That led to more obvious passing situations for the front seven to attack. Both of those advantages could be attributed in large part to Murphy, a breakout player in 2025 who is on track to become a legitimate star in 2026.

Because at this point, Murphy is not yet a star to anyone except Seahawks fans, some national analysts, and deep-dive film obsessives. Neither a Gen Alpha eighth grader in Missouri nor a retired baby boomer in Nantucket understands just how good Murphy already is.

That’s about to change.

What Murphy did at age 23 compares favorably to several current All-Pro defensive tackles — and the Seahawks may finally have the player Pete Carroll spent years trying to find.

If you already think Byron Murphy is good, wait until you see the numbers, film context, and historical comparisons. Unlock this article and every premium Seahawks deep dive for $5/month.