How do they do it? No, not how do the Seattle Seahawks win, or how they're one of the best, if not the best, teams in the NFL, but how do they do the things most on the outside rarely see so well? Culture is often an overused term in professional sports; some believe in it die-hardedly, while others underplay it. The Seahawks are in the latter camp, and it's not hard to see why.
Ever since Mike Macdonald entered the fold, a shift occurred, and three seasons later we're seeing its fruits. Much of the Seahawks' culture can and should be credited to Macdonald and the way he coaches and conducts himself. He's one of the best in the business at both.
That said, when a new coach establishes a new culture, it's the players' responsibility to A) buy in and B) carry it into the locker room, practice field, and game day from one player to the next. When that culture becomes so transparently infectious, it creates an unmistakable camaraderie that produces winning. Derick Hall can tell you why.
Derick Hall explains how the Seattle Seahawks' locker room consistently has each other's backs
Hall has spent his entire NFL career in Seattle and is now in his fifth season. Hall's remarkable story, which began in early childhood, is inspirational in its own incredible way. Recently, he spoke of another form of inspiration that should resonate with others who heard his comments regarding the Seahawks.
While appearing on Seattle Sports 710 AM's The Huddle, Hall reacted to a comment from the show's hosts about how his team plays and conducts itself so unselfishly, to which Hall responded that it's all about the celebration—the celebration from Seahawk to Seahawk.
“That's across not only our room but across the team as well," Hall began. "I told somebody last week, you'll never see another team celebrate the way we celebrate one another here, and I think that's huge. It just speaks to the level of love, the camaraderie, the compassion, and the respect we have for the game and just knowing how hard it is to be able to out there and have success every single Sunday.
"So I think that's huge and something we do really well. It doesn't matter who gets the sack or scored the touchdown; everybody's excited because, at the end of the day, the Seahawks got another W."
Hall, who is certainly speaking from a slightly biased point of view because plenty of other NFL teams are filled with players who celebrate the success of their teammates, is still right on point as it relates specifically to the Seahawks. No post-game media session or midweek press conference goes by without one Seahawk uplifting another.
We saw it happen weekly last season, throughout this offseason, and it's continuing now. It's unlikely to cease. Why? This is their culture. This is how Macdonald leads, and he expects his players to follow suit. Hall, along with other Seahawks leaders, leads by example, following their coach.
When celebrating another's success comes before looking at yourself and what you just accomplished, you know you're thinking right. When all 53 guys wearing the same jersey prioritize this kind of team spirit, you know the organization is thinking right.
Hall is thinking right; his teammates are thinking right; therefore, the Seahawks are thinking right. It's one reason why they're great.
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