The NFL had three great defenses in 2025, and while the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos were very good, the Seattle Seahawks were arguably better. Seattle led the league in fewest points allowed, fewest rushing yards per attempt, and ranked in the top five of most other categories. DeMarcus Lawrence was a huge reason for the success.
The 33-year-old edge rusher was given up on by his longtime former team, the Dallas Cowboys. Lawrence signed with the Seahawks in free agency and made it immediately clear that one reason he chose Seattle was that he thought he could win a championship with his new team. He just might.
Lawrence helped form a fearsome foursome of edge rushers for Seattle, while also having one of the personal best seasons of his storied career. He had his most tackles for loss (11) since 2020, and his most quarterback hits (20) since 2018. He was transformative and proved he could still play at a high level after only appearing in four games in 2024.
Jarran Reed delivers high praise for Seattle Seahawks teammate DeMarcus Lawrence
In other words, he was exactly what his teammates expected when general manager John Schneider signed him in March. Jarran Reed certainly thought so when speaking with the media on Opening Night, the Monday before Seattle would play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60.
"When DLaw came over here, it was, that's a player I think that we were missing," Reed said. "That's our dark horse: a guy who can rush on the edge, rush on the inside, play the run well, and create turnovers. When he came (to Seattle), that was great for us, and when we got him, we knew that we had got a special player."
As Reed pointed out, it wasn't simply that Lawrence would be good at chasing down opposing quarterbacks. Like Jadeveon Clowney was for Seattle in 2019, Lawrence's versatility helps make the entire defense better. Players can perform their own roles more precisely, knowing the veteran edge rusher will do his job extremely well.
Sometimes that even comes when he isn't simply playing the play-call. In the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass on fourth down on Seattle's 6-yard line, looking to take the lead in the fourth quarter. The issue was that DeMarcus Lawrence had read the play and dropped into coverage.
Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay would claim what Lawrence did was a lucky mistake. Lawrence said otherwise, and explained the team had read Stafford's read, so the edge rusher went to the spot on the field where Stafford wanted to pass. It was the kind of play that has made Lawrence special for the Seattle Seahawks this season, and helped the team be one game from a championship.